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).

Patty Helsing, 503-842-3932