Overview

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology provides community programs for pregnant and postpartum women, their children, and families thru grants from several organizations.

Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

The purpose of the WIC program is to provide supplemental nutritious foods and nutrition education as an adjunct to health care during critical periods of development. Eligible women (pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding), infants and children up to the age of five receive these services to prevent the occurrence of health problems and to improve health status.

Official website: WIC Program

Psychosocial Counseling

Psychosocial counseling is provided in a confidential setting to Healthy Start clients (individuals, couples, groups or families) to address situational and developmental stress. The goal is to reduce identified risk factors and maximize positive pregnancy outcomes and infant/child health and development. Counseling services are provided in Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union counties. Counseling providers are masters trained mental health practitioners with specific training in maternal mental health and infant development.

Counseling is arranged through the local Healthy Start Program, typically located in the Health Department. For more information, please call (352)392-4491, ext 248.

Healthy Families

This program offers voluntary home visiting in Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, and Union Counties by family support workers to promote positive parent-child interaction and child health and development. Healthy Family services begin prenatally or at the birth of a baby and continue for up to three-five years depending on the need. Services are available to families living in targeted geographic areas who are experiencing stressful life situations.

Official website: Healthy Families Florida

Maternity and Infant Care Project (MIC)

In 1966 the North Central Florida Maternal Infant Child program was started at the University of Florida as part of a national program to improve access to care and improve the health of women and children. The UF departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy would travel in teams to surrounding counties and provide care, usually out of the local health departments, to people who had no insurance and no access to health care in their communities.

In the early 1970's, the government grant was suspended. At that time the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology took over the program and made it a prenatal program. The name was changed to the Maternity and Infant Care project because the pediatric component was dropped. So, since 1966 the UF department of obstetrics and gynecology has had as part of its mission the provision of high-quality prenatal care to the underserved women in our region. The women receive their prenatal and post partum care in their communities, then deliver their babies at Shands at the University of Florida.

As of January 2009, we will be providing care in the following counties: Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, and Suwannee. Highly Qualified and experienced nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners provide the care. Care is provided through a contract with local providers in Putnam County. In all the UF sites patients are seen at their local health departments, except in Alachua where they are seen at the Shands at UF site.

Women who are eligible for this program are on Medicaid or are seen for minimal fees if they are ineligible for Medicaid but their income is less than 150% of poverty. For more information call your local health department, or, at UF call Lyn Thomas at (352) 273-7562.