In 2009, the region identified the importance of reaching all parents at the time of a child's birth.  Through the Batten Educational Achievement Fund, $500,000 was allocated to identify, pilot and implement a Newborn and Family Screening and Referral system.  A grant will be awarded to Sentara Obici Hospital in fall 2011 to:

• Provide face-to-face contact to all parents, offering parent-building resources and information at the time of a child's birth.
• Develop a nurse administered, hospital-based screen that will be embedded into the E-record system to identify a families' needs and potential psychosocial risk factors.
• Connect families to services they qualify for through an electronic referral system.
• Work with the Suffolk Health Department's to reach high-risk, low-income families prenatally.
• Leverage $300,000 in private dollars with a $1 to $1 match that blends public-private funding.