Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Support Groups is a program that was identified by partners as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, that has a reasonable chance of making a difference in prenatal care in our community. This is a new program in our community. The Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Support Groups will aim to provide families with support and education they need to make healthy choices. Topics discussed at these meetings will include breastfeeding, services available to families, safe sleep habits, mental health resources and more.

The priority population/customers for this program are families, and the program aims to make a difference at the individual level. Implementation will take place in the community.

The partners for this include:

• Polk County Health and Human Services Agency (Polk HHSA) - Lead

• Blue Ridge Community Health - Support

• Polk County Library - Support

• Polk County Recreation Department - Support

• Innovative Approaches Program - Collaborative

Implementation will begin in the Fall of 2022. Groups will be hosted at different locations in the community to meet families where they are. Different topics will be discussed at each meeting depending on the desire of the families. Resources such as diapers and wipes will also be given out. The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor with Polk County HHSA will take lead on this project and provide quarterly updates. Tracking will take place in the RBA scorecard. 

Evaluation Plan:

We plan to evaluate the impact of this program through the use of Results-Based Accountability to monitor specific performance measures. We will be monitoring How Much, How Well and/or Better Off Performance Measures. Our evaluation activities will be tracked by the Project Lead. Data will be collected and monitored by the Project Lead. Quarterly meetings will occur to discuss quality improvement strategies.

Sustainability Plan:

The following is our sustainability plan for this program: 

• Sustainability Component 1: Establish a consistent financial base for the program

We are pleased to report that these support groups have been successful so far, and we have received positive feedback from the community. In addition to providing emotional support, the groups also offer practical advice on topics such as breastfeeding techniques, infant nutrition, and postpartum care. Polk County Division of Public Health has offered 2 groups so far. Blue Ridge Community Health is also preparing to host a new parenting class that will begin in 2023.

In 2023, progress on the initiative faced setbacks due to staffing turnover, resulting in the temporary pause of the breastfeeding support groups. However, amidst these challenges, a new Parent Advisory Council emerged as a beacon of support for parents in the community. Created by the Innovative Approaches Program in collaboration with Polk County HHSA, the Parent Advisory Council has been meeting regularly to provide invaluable support and guidance to parents. While the traditional support groups were temporarily paused, the establishment of the Parent Advisory Council underscores a commitment to serving the needs of parents and caregivers in innovative ways. Moving forward, the Parent Advisory Council will complement existing resources, ensuring that parents continue to receive the support and assistance they need during this critical time in their lives.

After staffing turnover, the breastfeeding support group resumed in April 2024 under the leadership of a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC). The BFPC has since hosted 11 meetings, with an average of 3-4 mothers attending per meeting (mostly returning mothers). As one of the only breastfeeding support groups in the region, the most significant challenges in implementation lie in recruitment. The BFPC continues to advertise by word of mouth and through flyers in clinics and OB/GYN offices. The BFPC is also in the process (as of 09/2024) of expanding the group's scope to include more broad parental support in addition to breastfeeding support. Efforts to do so include hosting guest speakers; referencing other counties, existing groups, and the quarterly NC Breastfeeding Coalition meetings for strategies; and opening discussions with International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) about financial accessibility of services, given that many participating mothers are also Medicaid enrollees or low-income. Despite the low enrollment (though discussions with the few other existing groups reveal similar enrollments), having repeat clients and fostering both successful education and referrals, where necessary, are considered great successes to have developed over recent months.