Neighborhood Family Practice (NFP), a federally qualified non-profit community health center serving patients from four office locations on Cleveland’s near west side, was recently awarded site approval from the Centering® Healthcare Institute (CHI) for its CenteringPregnancy® Program.

The CenteringPregnancy Program at NFP, started in 2011, is offered under the auspices of CHI, a non-profit whose mission is to improve maternal and child health by transforming care through Centering groups. CHI works with a range of clinical practice sites including Federally Qualified Health Centers like NFP to implement Centering models of group healthcare.

“Our program offers a unique pregnancy care experience, combining prenatal care with a medical appointment, education and support all in one group appointment overseen by an NFP nurse midwife and a patient advocate,” says Julie Kellon, CNM, MSN, certified nurse midwife at NFP. “Being awarded site approval means our program adheres to the Centering model of care, delivering the highest quality of care to program participants.”

The CenteringPregnancy program, offered on an ongoing basis at NFP, includes women with similar due dates, meeting together for ten sessions – monthly at first, then every two weeks as their due dates get closer – where they learn care skills, participate in group discussions, and develop a support network with other group members. The nurse midwife conducts standard physical assessments, and information is provided on health promoting behaviors.

“Participants express how beneficial it is to be part of a group, sharing information and learning together and from each other,” says Kellon. “This translates directly into better decision making and actions that lead to better outcomes for our moms and their babies.”