Contact: Lindsey Birkel 

Title: Public Relations Coordinator

 Phone: (309) 687-7423 

March 3, 2003  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CHILDREN’S HOME GOOD BEGINNINGS PROGRAM RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE MARCH OF DIMES  

Bebe Feliz Project to Provide Assistance to Spanish Speaking Parents 

Peoria, IL-Children’s Home is pleased to announce that the Good Beginnings Program recently received a $20,000 grant from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation to provide prenatal education and case management to 24 Spanish speaking pregnant woman and their infants from prenatal to 1 month of age. 

The top priority for this new program, entitled Bebe Feliz, is enhancing prenatal risk assessment, pregnancy case management, and education services for high-risk women.  Although these basic services exist within the community, they are conducted in English and with minimal sensitivity to the cultural issues facing these families.  Approximately 5,949 Hispanics reside in the Peoria area according to the 2002 Census.  An additional 400 migrant families enter the area annually to work and seek services.   

Bebe Feliz will employ a bilingual Family Resource Advocate who will conduct group sessions and case management contacts in Spanish as well as serve as a translator for participants as linkages are made.  Three groups of a ten session prenatal group series will be offered.  Eight women will participate in each group.  Through Bebe Feliz, parents will acquire information about their pregnancy, childbirth, and infant development that will equip them to make more informed and effective decisions.  Through this program, the level of awareness in the community of the barriers and issues facing Spanish speaking families during pregnancy will be heightened.   

Group sessions are scheduled to begin in March and run through November.  Referrals for the program will be provided by the Peoria City/County Health Department, Friendship House of Christian Service, Catholic Social Services, and the Illinois Migrant Council.  All group sessions will take place at the Friendship House of Christian Service. 

The Children’s Home Good Beginnings Program has been providing intensive home-based services for expectant parents for 19 years.  Services provided through Good Beginnings include prenatal groups, Doula services, home visits, and parenting groups.  During FY ’02, the Good Beginnings Program served 367 families, including 191 home visiting families.  The program also initiated the first downstate Doula project, serves as a Healthy Families America site, and the Program Director is a member of the Healthy Families America National Advisory Credentialing Panel.  She is a native of El Salvador and has extensive experience working with Spanish speaking women. 

Children’s Home would like to thank the March of Dimes and congratulate the Good Beginnings Program on this exciting opportunity.

For more information, please contact:
Lindsey Birkel, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator
(309)687-7423, (309)687-7299 (fax)
lbirkel@chail.org
2130 N. Knoxville
Peoria, IL 61603