Now Accepting Referrals
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Baltimore Washington Medical Center, the March of Dimes Maryland Chapter and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Rho Eta Zeta Chapter have partnered to create a Stork’s Nest program for women living in Anne Arundel County. Stork’s Nest is a free prenatal education program designed to help prevent premature births, low birth weight babies, and infant mortality by teaching women how to have healthy pregnancies and babies. Started by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and the March of Dimes in 1971, there are now more than 100 Stork’s Nest programs nationwide.
Free Infant Care Items. Stork’s Nest uses a point-based incentive system to encourage women to participate in the program. Women earn points by attending Stork’s Nest prenatal education classes, going to prenatal care appointments and participating in other healthy activities. After the baby is born, women can continue to earn points by breastfeeding and taking their baby to well baby check-ups. Women can use the points to purchase infant care items available at the Nest until the baby is one year old. The Nest is a small store and educational center for Stork’s Nest participants that is located within Baltimore Washington Medical Center’s Outreach Center in Arundel Mills Mall.
How Physicians Can Support the Program. Stork’s Nest participants will receive a point book that will need to be initialed by a health care provider at each routine prenatal care appointment and well baby check-up. Physicians can support this program by initialing the point book when asked by patients.
Outreach to Women Most At Risk. Prenatal care providers are encouraged to refer patients to the program. Stork’s Nest is targeting its outreach efforts to Anne Arundel County women at the greatest risk for having poor pregnancy outcomes, specifically African American women, teenagers, low-income or uninsured women, and women with previous poor pregnancy outcomes.
Stork’s Nest Materials to Display and Distribute. Physicians can request prescription pads to refer their patients to Stork’s Nest and request brochures to display and distribute to patients by contacting the Stork’s Nest Program at 410-787-4366.