Maternal and Child Health
At IHCRC the family is recognized as the traditional and most important basic social unit in Native American communities. Promoting pediatric growth and developmental progress is a high priority for the children served at our clinic. Early prenatal care is provided to pregnant women and post-partum care is provided after the birth of the child. A developmental pediatrician and a child psychiatrist conduct developmental assessments and provide behavioral therapy. Parents are counseled on the importance of preventive health measures, as well as the importance of parental interaction and play with their infants and young children. Ancillary care to the family is complemented with internal referrals to the dental, optometry, behavioral health and dietetic departments.
Nurturing Families Program receives March of Dimes grant
The Oklahoma Chapter of the March of Dimes has just awarded Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa (IHCRC) one of its Community Chapter grants to support our Nurturing Families health education programs. IHCRC expresses our most sincere appreciation to the March of Dimes for the receipt of the $13,275 annual grant, which may be renewed for up to two additional years.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies. The March of Dimes Community Chapter grants are awarded to local programs that support national campaign objectives and further a strategic goal of reducing disparities in birth outcomes.
IHCRC's Nurturing Families project will use an interdisciplinary team approach to provide an integrated health education and wellness curriculum. The multidimensional approach of the Nurturing Families education and counseling program will include components of physical activity, nutrition, behavioral health and medical care. IHCRC uses a similar approach to manage our patients with diabetes and behavioral health diagnoses. The interdisciplinary team will collaborate to manage comprehensive treatment plans and provide case management services.
IHCRC will use a portion of the March of Dimes grant funds to contract with the Margaret Hudson Program to provide prenatal and post partum health education, newborn parenting classes for moms and dads and a set of life skills classes using their Life Patterns curriculum. The health education classes will explain to the mother what to expect during pregnancy, as well as during labor and delivery of the baby. New parents will learn how to care for their newborn and will gain an understanding of the developmental needs of their baby and growing infant.
IHCRC's Health Education and Wellness department will conduct a set of demonstration cooking and nutrition classes. The IHCRC wellness department will also organize and facilitate physical activity and weight management classes for pregnant and post partum women, including overweight pregnant women at risk of gestational diabetes.
In addition to the Nurturing Families educational classes and wellness activities, IHCRC's substance abuse treatment and social worker staff will facilitate a voluntary women's support group to address issues of depression, anxiety, intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect and substance abuse. Individual and group substance abuse treatment will also be available for clients who seek to end their alcohol or drug addictions.
The Nurturing Families project supports IHCRC's vision to eliminate health disparities, expand innovative family-focused practices and promote an embracing approach to care that strengthens physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness within the Indian community.
For more information about the new Nurturing Families health education programs, please contact Susan Dudley-Spring, IHCRC Nurturing Families Case Manager at 918-382-1292 or by email at sdudley@ihcrc.org.
Prenatal Case Management and Interdisciplinary Care Coordination Supports Healthy Babies
At Indian Health Care Resource Center, pregnant women benefit from a continuum of care that includes client assessment, plan of care, referral, monitoring, facilitation and follow-up of needed services. Case management needs are determined upon completion of a comprehensive risk assessment of the pregnant woman. With the voluntary participation of the prenatal client, a team approach is used to develop an individualized plan of care based on the risk assessment and identified needs. The IHCRC multidisciplinary assessment team includes the obstetrics nurse, the Healthy Start case manager and a mental health therapist. The goal of case management is to complement the obstetric care provided by the physician by offering a broad scope of educational, prevention and intervention services.
Family-centered client services include prenatal and new parenting education, as well as community referrals to education, employment, housing and childcare resources. Within IHCRC, referrals are made to the dietitian, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional program, the dentist and the optometrist. When appropriate, referrals are also made for smoking cessation, behavioral health counseling and substance abuse treatment. After the birth of the baby, the Healthy Start case management continues until the child reaches age two.
WIC Nutrition Program
Satellite Office: 1628 S. Main
(918) 382-1290 or 382-1291
Monday - Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
Participants in the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutritional food program receive free vouchers to purchase baby formula and nutritious foods for children under age five. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers are also eligible.
