Jasper County Maternal and Child Health Task Force has achieved their July 1 goal by getting welcome bags and a community resource guide of pregnancy and child related resources completed.
The group was formed after the most recent Community Health Needs Assessment. The group is focused on helping new parents learn about available resources, while the goal is to prevent and reduce the number of child abuse and neglect cases in Jasper County.
Skiff Medical Center will be giving out a welcome bags to all new parents with children born at Skiff Medical Center. JCCPA (Parents as Teachers) and Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa will also be giving bags out to other families.
“We are very pleased with the collaboration of so many community partners to provide these welcome bags and everyone is committed to helping parents and children in Jasper County,” Jasper County Health Department Administrator Becky Pryor said.
Each bag contains a children’s book, afghan, hat, toothbrush, bank, children’s cup, shopping bag, burp clothes and numerous other items.
One of the biggest accomplishments of the group was gathering resources to make a guide and brochures of all the services that are free and available to them. The group wants to promote mental health awareness also and included the names of providers and the new crisis hotline number is 844-258-8858.
Jasper County has numerous community groups and individuals that contributed items to the welcome bags including Jasper County Health Department through a grant for books, Skiff Medical Center, Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA) — WIC and FaDSS, JCCPCA (Parents as Teachers), DHS decaterization, Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Newton Kiwanis, Family Planning, Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa, Newton Library, Central Iowa Community Services cards, The Dental Practice, Beulah Starr and the Common Threads.
In order to continue the welcome bags the group is in need of donations of developmental toys, books, bags and blankets. For more information, visit Jasper County Health Department at 115 N. Second Ave. E., Suite B1 in Newton or call 641-787-9224.