It has been well established that early entry into prenatal services, including the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, increases chances of healthy outcomes for both offspring and mother. Collaborative efforts within the county and among various programs within the Putnam County Health Department have resulted in the highest prenatal entry rate in the State of Florida. The health department staff has established excellent collaborative relationships with the local OB providers to ensure easy and early access into the WIC Program. Every year, staff sends providers outreach packets developed by the Division of WIC and Nutrition Services, and they have “eat and meet” sessions, where staff visit OB providers, eat lunch, and share information. As a result of their efforts, staff receives more faxes from providers and is receiving calls directly from OB staff while the client is at the provider office.

The goal of this program is to increase prenatal entry into WIC. The ultimate purpose is to lower the rate of low birth weight as well as the rate of infant mortality.

Based on the data distributed by the Department of Health, for the fourth quarter of 2003, Putnam County had the second highest first trimester entry into WIC in the state. The entry rate was 69.29 percent compared with the state average of 47.68 percent. This is a significant accomplishment, given that there is no OB program within the Health Department and entry is largely dependent on referred clients from outside the agency.