Margie Wilcox-Rose, RD, MPH, IBCLC
Ventura County Health Care Agency WIC Program
3147 Loma Vista Rd.
Ventura, CA 93003
(805) 652-3214
Fax: (805) 652-5921
margie.rose@mail.ca.ventura.ca.us
or
Diane Visencio, BSN (co-chair)
WIC, Maternal and Child Health Task Force, Ventura County Medical Center, Community Memorial Hospital, Los Robles Medical Center, St. John's Hospital, PACLAC, Simi Valley Hospital, Medela Inc., La Leche League, MOMS Club, SPSP, Ojaj Birth Resource Center. Members: The coalition is comprised of individuals representing public and private agencies, as well as interested community members.
- Established in 1997
- Meets monthly
- Mission: Agencies and individuals throughout Ventura County working together to promote maternal and child health through breastfeeding support, education and outreach in our community.
- Objectives:
- The Ventura County Breastfeeding Coalition is dedicated to providing education and support to healthcare providers and the community, network with other breastfeeding advocates and improving breastfeeding rates and duration.
- The hope is to improve accessibility to lactation professionals throughout the county and increase breastfeeding rates and duration primarily for mothers encountering problems in the first few weeks.
Proposed activities:
- Provide Breastfeeding training to Resident Training Program, nursing students, WIC staff, PHN staff, other health care providers
- World BF Week activities
- Public Health Week Breastfeeding activities
- Ventura County Fair Booth
Current activities:
- Dr. Marshall Klaus presenting January 2002.
- Updating "Breastfeeding Resource Directory." This project was originally funded by a March of Dimes.
- Provided scholarships for 76 professionals and paraprofessionals to attend Certified Lactation Counselor training course. This was funded by Prop. 10 grant of $37,000.
- We are actively promoting the "Baby Friendly" designation at our area hospital and currently have 2 hospitals that have submitted their "Letters of Intent."
Completed activities:
- The Breastfeeding Coalition recently completed a "narrow-casting" outreach campaign. This project, funded by a March of Dimes grant, placed a breastfeeding promotion poster and small fold out educational messages at locations frequented by pregnant women. Efforts are being made to continue this project after an overwhelming positive response.