CaCoon (CAreCOOrdinatioN)

CaCoon is a statewide public health nurse home visiting program. CaCoon serves children and youth birth through age 21 with developmental, physical, or medical limmitations/diabilities that will affect them across their lifespan. CaCoon nurses help families coordinate care for their children and youth with special health needs.

CaCoon nurses can meet with families in their homes. They partner with families to clarify problems and find solutions. CaCoon nurses offer nursing expertise and share information about local resources. This partnership helps families get the most from the services available to their children.

Examples of ways CaCoon nurses partner with families are:

• Identify the child’s strengths and needs.
• Connect with healthcare and other community supports.
• Make sure the child’s health team works well together.
• Help gather information to make health-related decisions for the child.
• Identify problems and help find solutions.
• For youth with special health needs aged 12-21, help prepare for the transition to adult health care, work, and independence.

Eligibility: Children birth through age 21 who experience a developmental, physical, or medical disability that may affect them across their lifespan.

Referral: Families can request CaCoon services; referrals can also come from health care professionals, WIC, schools, and hospitals.  To request a referral please call Tillamook County Public Health at 503-842-3940.

CaCoon Nurses

Ahndrea Sousa, RN 503-354-1933

Cerisa Albrechtsen, RN, BSN 503-812-8709

The goal of the Maternity Case Management Program is to lower risks for the woman and her baby and to make sure she gets prenatal care by a health care provider such as a doctor, nurse practitioner or midwife. Maternity Case Management promotes positive pregnancy outcomes through education and support during pregnancy. Visits are provided in the expectant mother’s home by public health nurses. Nurses visit the home and determine safety, nutrition status, emotional needs and relationship support. The nurse will help with health, social, economic, and dietary parts of her life that are important for a healthy pregnancy and in planning for her labor and delivery. Other interventions include telephone contacts, educational services, information, and appropriate referrals.

There are seven required training topics of the MCM program:

• early childhood cavity (caries) prevention
• immunizations (shots)
• lead exposure and screening
• mother to child HIV infection prevention
• tobacco use and exposure (secondhand smoke)
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• maternal oral (dental) health

Maternal Case Management helps identify pregnancy problems or illnesses which the woman may have had in the past and might require immediate referral to health care. They offer referrals and the “5A’s” as brief interventions to help pregnant women quit using tobacco. Pregnant women are eligible for MCM services who have identifiable risk factors, use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

MCM services are covered by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) for women who have incomes up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

MCM Team

Ahndrea Sousa, RN 503-354-1933

Cerisa Albrechtsen, RN, BSN 503-812-8709

Jenni Ramirez, CHW 503-842-1828

Patty Helsing, RN 503-812-3173