Our Work - West Virginia Perinatal Partnership

View More: http://wwwtashatolliverphotography.pass.us/babies-moms-and-families The work of the Partnership is centered on the goal of improving health outcomes for pregnant women and their babies in West Virginia. The essential source of information upon which the initiatives of the Partnership are based is obtained from the Key Informant Survey. The first Key Informant Survey was conducted in 2006 to gain input from medical, nursing and other individuals serving pregnant women and their babies in both rural and urban areas about their opinions regarding why West Virginia has one of the highest rates of infant mortality and low birth weight babies in the nation.

Information collected from the initial Key Informant Survey was used to develop the “Blueprint to Improve West Virginia Perinatal Health.” This report provided 10 primary recommendations to improve the perinatal system in the state. A follow-up report was then completed, which outlined a five-year work plan for the Partnership. Another Key Informant Survey was conducted in late 2012/early 2013 to help the Central Advisory Council establish a new five-year work plan for the Partnership. The Central Advisory Committee has prioritized the findings of this most recent Key Informant Survey, and is in the process of developing the new work plan.

Since the Partnership was created, many achievements have been made to improve the perinatal system in West Virginia and these were documented in “Accomplishments of the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership from 2006-2012.” The members of the Central Advisory Council, Steering Committee and health care professionals throughout the state who serve on the Partnership’s committees, continue to work on addressing the many problems that impact the health of our mothers and babies.