Maternal and Child Health

Welcome to the Monroe County Department of Public Health, Maternal and Child  Health Division. This division offers the following services to children and families in Monroe County:

Vision

We will lead our community and New York State in providing innovative, integrated, family centered services. These services will be responsive and cost-effective in achieving improvements in health and developmental outcomes and will have a positive impact on the present and future health of children and families.

Mission

We strive to ensure healthy births and optimal development of all children, including those with special needs. We are committed to respecting the diversity and dignity of all families. Through appropriate and effective alignment of staff, financial resources and community partnerships, we provide public health services that will result in improved health and developmental outcomes for families and our community.

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Women, Infants and Children’s Program (WIC)

The WIC Program is a supplemental food and nutrition education program that serves pregnant, breastfeeding, postpartum women, infants, and children up to the age of five. To be eligible, the applicant must be a resident of New York State and have a household income of less than 185% of the poverty level. For more information on income eligibility guidelines, please click here.

For Monroe County WIC site locations and hours click here.

(WIC) provides nutritious foods, including low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, eggs, whole grains, peanut butter/beans, vegetables and fruits. WIC strongly promotes breastfeeding as the best way to feed your baby. Breastfeeding support is available through our WIC Nutritionists and the Peer Counselor Program (753-5640). Formula is also available for infants who are either partially breastfed or fully formula fed. For more information on breastfeeding, please click here.

WIC has been shown to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers and their infants and children. The foods provided through WIC are a good source of essential nutrients that are often missing from the diets of women and young children. Pregnant women on WIC have longer healthier pregnancies and fewer premature births.
If you would like to apply for WIC, please call the Monroe County WIC Program at 753-4942. You can print the forms you will need by clicking on the links below. 

• Medical referral form for women
• Medical referral form for infants/children
• If you are currently on WIC and need the authorization form for someone to pick up or cash your checks, click here
• If you are currently on WIC and must request a medically prescribed WIC approved formula for your infant/child, click here to print the required form and have your doctor complete it. 
• If you are moving or are planning to change WIC programs, click here for the required form. 
• If you want to know what foods you are allowed to purchase with your WIC checks, click here
   

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PAT - Perinatal Health

The PAT - Perinatal Health Program is a home visiting program serving pregnant women and their families. PAT utilizes Certified Parent Educators to provide the evidence-based Parents as Teachers Foundational Curriculum.  The goal of the PAT Program is to help families build a nurturing environment for their children by utilizing the following: personal visits, group connections, screenings and connections to resources in the community.  An equally important part of PAT is the health based component providing important prenatal, parenting and health education as well as a presumptive eligibility qualified provider on site. These services promote improved maternal health and insure optimal birth outcomes, improved child health and development and a healthy life course for families.

Certified Parent Educators can help you have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby by:

• Helping you find a prenatal and pediatric care provider, talking about the importance of routine care and immunizations for yourself and your children.
• Assisting you and your baby in applying for medical insurance (presumptive eligibility).
• Helping you navigate the health care and social services system.
• Providing important pregnancy information including:
  • How your baby develops, nutrition during pregnancy and staying healthy between pregnancies.
  • The importance of dental care during pregnancy.
  • Breast feeding your baby.
  • Information on family planning methods
• Talking about the risk factors of HIV/STIs and substance use during pregnancy.
• Providing important information on your child’s growth and development that helps you to develop your parenting skills based on your child’s developmental stage.
• Helping you find appropriate child care.
• Providing important information about lead poisoning prevention.
• Talking about the risks of domestic violence and guide you to agencies that can help.

A certified parent educator will visit you and your baby 1-2 times a month during the pregnancy and until your baby is 1 year old.  At this time you can be transitioned to the Parents as Teachers-Right from the Start Program at Crestwood Children’s Center to continue valuable parenting education.

There is no cost to families for this service. For more information call 585 753-5437.

PAT - Perinatal Health Brochure
PAT - Perinatal Health Referral Form
 

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Children With Special Health Care Needs

The Children With Special Health Care Needs Program (CSHCN) is a statewide public health program that provides information and referral services for health and related areas for families of CSHCN.

Children With Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) are:

• Children birth to 21 years of age, and 
• Children who have or are suspected of having a serious or chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition
• Children who require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.

The financial component of the CSHCN program is the Physically Handicapped Children’s Program (PHCP). PHCP is a federal grant program under the Social Security Act established to aid states in the provision of medical services for the treatment and rehabilitation of physically handicapped children. The program assures that diagnostic, evaluation and treatment services are available to eligible children. Certain medical and financial criteria apply. The criteria are not the same in every county.

The Physically Handicapped Children’s Program (PHCP) serves:

• Children birth to 21 years
• Children with physical disabilities, chronic illnesses or potentially disabling conditions.

There are two parts to PHCP:

1. Diagnosis and Evaluation
   Diagnosis and Evaluation (D & E) Services are available to all children who have suspected physically disabling conditions or chronic illnesses. To receive diagnostic services families do not have to satisfy county financial eligibility, but prior authorization must be received. Referrals for Diagnosis and Evaluation services can be made by physicians, nurses, medical providers, parents or the patients themselves. The referral should be made to the county PHCP where the child resides. A child cannot be denied an evaluation based on lack of insurance.
2. Treatment
   The treatment component reimburses health care providers for services given to eligible children. Inpatient hospital care, physician office visits, durable medical equipment and pharmaceuticals are examples of items covered by the program. Medical conditions covered and financial eligibility are not the same in each county.
   All D & E and Treatment services provided under the PHCP program must have prior approval from the Monroe County Department of Public Health. Application for both of the components must be made to the county in which the child resides. Services are provided through approved specialty centers or physician specialists. Health insurance and Medicaid must be billed first. If the child has neither insurance nor Medicaid, then the authorized services are paid for by this program.

For more information call 585 753-5437.

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Nurse-Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership is a program for women who are having their first baby. Specially trained nurses will make home visits throughout your pregnancy and continue to visit you until your baby is 2-years old.

Any woman who is pregnant with her first child and meets income requirements can enroll. Women can join as early in their pregnancy as they like, but they must join before the 28th week of pregnancy.

There is no charge for this program.

Nurses will visit every week or two during your pregnancy and up until the baby is 2-years old.

The nurse will help you:

• Have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby
• Become a better parent
• Build a strong network of support for you and your baby
• Make your home a safe place to live and play
• Get referrals for healthcare, childcare, job training and other support services
• Find ways to continue your education and to develop job skills
• Set goals for your future and help you reach them

For more information Call: (585) 753-KIDS (753-5437)
Nurse Family Partnership National Web Site

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Family Bereavement

Support for families who have experienced the death of an infant up to one year of age is offered through the Family Bereavement Program. Information and referral to community support services is available.

For more information, call 585 753-5437.

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Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program

Breastfeed your baby! You can do it and WIC can help! WIC Peer Counselors are moms, just like you. They can help you learn about breastfeeding your baby. They can also answer any breastfeeding questions that you have and are available to help over the phone or in person. WIC offers weekly  infant feeding classes for you and your family and each WIC site has a breastfeeding library containing books, videos and handouts for you to use. Did you know that you’ll get more WIC benefits if you breastfeed your baby? If you are exclusively breastfeeding your baby (only breast milk, no formula), you will receive additional foods on your WIC checks, such as tuna fish and carrots, in addition to the basic WIC foods. WIC believes that Breastfeeding is Best Feeding!

Breast milk is:

• perfect for your baby. It has over 200 nutrients and it changes as your baby grows.
• easily available. There is no preparation, sterilization or refrigeration.
• easily digested so your baby will have less gas, colic, diarrhea and spitting up.

Breastfeeding:

• can increase your baby’s IQ.
• may reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
• helps you bond with your baby.
• reduces your chance of developing breast cancer.
• saves you time and money.

Breastfed babies:

• have fewer ear infections and less risk of childhood cancer.
• are less likely to develop asthma, diabetes and allergies.

For more information on breastfeeding your baby or to be referred to a Peer Counselor, please call the WIC Breastfeeding Help Line at 753-5640. WIC also suggests that you visit the following web sites for the most up to date and informative breastfeeding information.

www.breastfeedingpartners.org

www.Breastfeeding.org

www.Lalecheleague.org