News and Events
CENTRAL ADVISORY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
The Central Advisory Council of the Partnership met June 5th at
Coonskin Park Clubhouse in Charleston. The meeting was packed with
information. The presentations were excellent, and the discussions were
stimulating. Our challenges are great. Meeting
agenda and presentations
DRS. GRAEBER AND NERHOOD HONORED


Dr. Janet Graeber and Dr. Robert Nerhood were honored for their
extra-ordinary commitment to working in partnership and their work in
perinatal health. Both were recognized at the luncheon of the Central
Advisory Council with a Blenko Glass original and with a framed certificate
proclaiming them Distinguished Mountaineers, signed by W. Va. Governor Joe
Manchin. A
brochure (PDF) pays
tribute to two exemplary professional individuals who have helped us achieve
a partnership that really works!
SUPPORTING MOMS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS
The West Virginia Breastfeeding Alliance plans to recognize worksites that
are supportive of mothers in the workplace. The group will honor award
recipients in August during World Breastfeeding Month, during a proclamation
from Governor Joe Manchin, III. WVBA is seeking nominations of companies
that encourage their employees’ choice to breastfeed and that provide the
means necessary to help them achieve these goals.
Read More
NEW STUDY RELEASED ON LATE PRE-TERM BIRTHS
The W. Va. Division of Health and Human Resources Health Statistics
Center has released a new study on Late Preterm Births 1993-2007. The study
reports that the rates of C-section among women with no medical risk factors
increased 34.9% (4.3% to 5.8%) between 1993 and 1997 and 2003 and 2007,
compared with a smaller increase of 13.0% (10.0% to 11.3%) among women with
at least one medical risk factor.
Read the report.
WV SELF-SUFFICIENCY STANDARD - UPDATED 2009
A new tool tells how much money a West Virginia family needs to
sustain itself without public or private assistance. The federal poverty
measure is no longer accurate because it has not changed with changes in the
definition of a family, and family survival needs in the twenty-first
century, compared to family necessities in 1960 when the federal measure was
first implemented, have changed drastically. In addition, the federal
poverty measure does not take into account differing regional costs of
living.
Find the
standard for a West Virginia family of any size by county of residence.
Mission
We
are a statewide partnership of health care professionals
and public and private organizations working to improve
perinatal health in West Virginia.
- We want health care providers to be able to best care
for pregnant women and their babies.
- We encourage new laws that promote better health
for pregnant women and their babies.
- We create opportunities for perinatal professionals
to
share
their expertise with each other.
- We spread the latest knowledge about perinatal
health through educational programs.
- We work to reduce tobacco and drug use
among
pregnant women and foster oral health care in
pregnant women and infants.
- We study research and
trends in mother/child
health
and work to distribute that
information.
GET INVOLVED
Read more about us and our
accomplishments so farRead Our 2008 Workplan
(PDF)
GOTO the 2008 Perinatal summits
proceedingS PAGE
Blueprint to Improve Perinatal Health
In
2006, thirty-three organizations partnered to uncover reasons for
declining healthy birth outcomes in West Virginia and find solutions.
Over 200 perinatal
professionals participated in a Key Informant Survey and 90 contributed in
drafting the results of that study and recommendations: Blueprint
to Improve West Virginia Perinatal Health (2006). Then after a year's worth of focused effort, the Partnership reported on progress
implementing the Blueprint and published
Reports on the Blueprint to Improve West Virginia Perinatal Health
(2007).
West Virginia health care professionals
voiced a strong desire to participate in the process to improve perinatal care. They indicated that although many elements
of a cohesive system are present in the State, we must move
towards a statewide system rather than a fractured regional
approach. We need to utilize new methods of communication,
provide better support for medical professionals in rural areas,
better utilize our intellectual resources, and more fully
implement parent support and education programs. The West
Virginia Perinatal Partnership was born of these desires.
Read the 2006 Blueprint(PDF)Read the 2007 Reports on
the Blueprint (PDF)
Read the Appendices to the Reports