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Maternity Support ServicesThe First Steps program is a Medicaid program administered jointly by the DSHS Medicaid Assistance Administration and the Maternal Infant Health program at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). The goal of First Steps is to reduce premature birth and infant mortality through education, early intervention and other activities that support the family in making positive health care decisions. The program has three components: Maternity Support Services (MSS), Childbirth Education (CBE), both administered by DOH, and Infant Case Management (ICM), administered by DSHS. Maternity Support Services are preventive health services that supplement medical coverage for Medicaid eligible women who are pregnant or within 60 days post-pregnancy. The goal of MSS is to provide services as early in a pregnancy as possible in an effort to promote positive pregnancy and parenting outcomes. MSS services are provided by private and public agencies and are available in every area of Washington. Services include assessment, health education, intervention and counseling offered by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals and paraprofessionals who work closely with the woman to provide a comprehensive plan of care. Maternal and Infant Health (MIH) provides direct training and technical assistance to the agencies who provide MSS services. MIH staff perform quality assurance and monitoring activities to ensure those services are comprehensive, cost-effective, of good quality, and in compliance with regulations and requirements. MIH staff use the multi-disciplinary team approach that is expected from MSS provider agencies, which includes expertise in community health nursing, behavioral health counseling, nutrition and health education. By working collaboratively with DSHS, providers, and community organizations, at-risk pregnant mothers and their infants benefit from a comprehensive and coordinated state and local support system that improves their health and reduces costs. |
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DOH Home | Access Washington | Privacy Notice | Disclaimer/Copyright Information Links to external resources are provided as a public service and do not imply endorsement by the Washington State Department of Health. Documents posted in PDF version on the Department of Health Web site will be made available in an alternative format on request to users who are unable to download or view PDF files on the Web. To request an alternative format, contact the appropriate office listed below. Contact Information:Administration 360-236-3502 /e-mail
Address: Office of Maternal and Child Health Department of Health Community and Family Health 111 Israel Road SE Tumwater, WA 98501
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