Initiatives
INFANT MORTALITY
WEST CENTRAL INDIANA HEALTHY START
All Babies Deserve a Chance
Union Hospital’s Richard G. Lugar Center for Rural Health has been awared a $4.5 million grant to help improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy; and, to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in rates of infant death as well as negative health outcomes in the first 18 months of life. Through Healthy Start, 100 organizations serving communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the U.S. national average, and with high rates of other negative maternal and infant outcomes, will receive up to $1 million each year over five years. The West Central Indiana Healthy Start (WCIHS) will target Fountain, Parke, and Vigo counties...read more
FETAL INFANT MORTALITY REVIEW
The death of a baby is a community problem
Over the past decade, more than 150 babies have died in Indiana’s Central Southwestern Region. In continuation of a string of efforts spearheaded by the Lugar Center for Rural Health, the West Central Indiana Healthy Start (WCIHS) program launched a dynamic initiative...read more
PERINATAL NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
Targeting Infant Mortality
The Union Hospital Perinatal Navigator Program (PNP) aims to reduce infant mortality in the Wabash Valley. Union Health stands as the Wabash Valley’s leader in Obstetric and Neonatal Care. For maternal care Union Hospital boasts nine obstetrical providers in four practices. Union Hospital operates an Obstetrical Emergency Department (OBED) which ensures that expectant mothers can be evaluated and treated by a physician regardless of time, location, complication or circumstance...read more
QUIT FOR BABY OF THE WABASH VALLEY
Baby & Me Tobacco Free (BMTF)
Quit for Baby of the Wabash Valley is a partnership between the Union Hospital Family Medicine Center (FMC), Valley-Professionals Community Health Center (VPCHC), and the Richard G Lugar Center for Rural Health (Lugar Center) to serve smoking pregnant women. Baby & Me – Tobacco Free program (BMTF) was implemented in 2013...read more
TARGETING SIDS
Lugar Center & Union Foundation Partner
The Lugar Center partnered with the Union Health Foundation to leverage additional resources in order to help new babies and their parents at Union Hospital have better outcomes. In an effort to combat Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) employees and patients are trained using up to date methods on reducing SIDS in their home...read more
PSUPP
Prenatal Substance Use Prevention Program
LEGACY PROJECT
The goal of PSUPP is the Prevention of poor birth outcomes, by assuring that babies born in Indiana are born to women who decrease or eliminate alcohol, toabacco, and other drug use during pregnancy. It was based on the premise that Indiana data indicate poor pregnancy outcomes due to maternal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs...read more