Katherine C. Maus, Director 1101 Market Street, 9th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Tel: (215) 685-5225 Fax: (215) 685-5257	MCFH Brochure MCFH Resource Guide

Helping People Keep Themselves and Their Families Healthy

WHO WE ARE
The Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health (MCFH) is a vital component of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. MCFH’s mission is to provide a wide range of health and supportive social services to improve the health of women, children and parenting families.
MCFH supports a network of more than 40 service providers, ranging from City health care centers to teaching hospitals to community-based agencies. The division works closely with its partner agencies to enhance their unique strengths, while fostering collaboration to ensure a seamless service system throughout Philadelphia.
MCFH joins with other local, regional and national public agencies to promote initiatives, policies and service standards that benefit the health of families. Ongoing research, evaluation and data collection projects help MCFH to respond effectively to the emerging health needs of Philadelphia’s diverse communities.

Services in your community:

• prenatal outreach and education
• nurse home visiting for uninsured women and newborns
• case management and in-home support for families with infants and young children
• case management for families with special needs
• hotline counseling and referral
• sexual assault survivor counseling

Services at City health care centers:

• gynecologic care (including STD counseling, testing and treatment and HIV counseling, testing and referral)
• confidential family planning counseling and birth control supplies
• fertility and options counseling
• prenatal care and education
• prenatal smoking cessation counseling
• nutrition counseling
• preconception health counseling

Health education and training:

• community/professional education about issues like family violence, child development and healthy eating
• original educational materials in more than a dozen languages
• professional training and one-on-one support to promote breastfeeding

Childhood lead poisoning prevention:

• door-to-door outreach and education
• free blood lead testing and diagnosis
• home inspections and medical follow-up
• prevention education for new mothers, families and groups
• 24-hour information hotline in English, Spanish, Cambodian and Vietnamese
• lead hazard reduction
• emergency abatement

Special programs:

Children with Special Health Care Needs. MCFH works to ensure an extra layer of service and support for families of children with special health care needs, while encouraging communication among the multiple systems that serve them.

Bereavement Services. MCFH’s Grief Assistance Program provides counseling and supportive services to families who have lost an infant or child.

Breastfeeding Promotion. MCFH promotes breastfeeding through support groups, trainings and educational programs, a comprehensive breastfeeding handbook and ongoing collaboration with area maternity hospitals.

WHERE WE ARE
MCFH works closely with community leaders and advocates all across Philadelphia’s rich tapestry of neighborhoods.

In North, West, Southwest and South Philadelphia…
through Philadelphia Healthy Start, creating personalized care plans for pregnant women and new mothers to reduce high rates of infant mortality and improve family health.

In South Philadelphia…
providing prenatal care, gynecologic services and family planning counseling to patients at Health Care Center #2, one of eight such centers city-wide.

In Olney, Logan and Ogontz…
through the Nurse Family Partnership Program, providing nurse home visits to help pregnant women and new mothers take care of themselves and their children.

In Germantown…
offering a comprehensive pediatric obesity clinic at Health Care Center #9 (also at centers #5 and #6 in North Philadelphia).

In the news…
talking about issues like infant mortality, breastfeeding, childhood nutrition and the best way to protect your children from lead poisoning.

And in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia…
providing screening and support for perinatal depression, offering one-on-one education at health fairs, and fostering community consortia that promote family health.