Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies is an outreach program for pregnant women experiencing challenges that may impact the health, social, and emotional wellbeing of themselves, their unborn baby or their family.
We accept referrals up to 36 weeks gestation for women who need support to engage in antenatal care (pregnancy care) or access other support services as required.
The program supports women during pregnancy and until their baby is six to eight weeks old, and they are linked with Maternal and Child Health Services.
The Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Program is not a clinical antenatal care service. It quickly links women to existing services, including child health, counselling, dental, allied health programs, and other community support services. HMHB provides community-based support and promotes continuity of care.
Services
HMHB’s highly experienced and skilled team of social workers and community development workers provide outreach support to vulnerable pregnant women to improve health outcomes for themselves and their babies. Our workers:
- can visit clients in their homes or in the community
- can accompany and support clients accessing and attending antenatal services
- work alongside clients to create a tailored and holistic goal-setting plan that supports individual needs.
We provide support and advocacy for:
- accessing pregnancy care
- birth education
- preparing for the baby’s arrival and support accessing baby items
- access and referral to other relevant services that mother or baby may need
- breastfeeding and lactation support
- early parenting education and support
- Centrelink payments
HMHB can support pregnant women who may be experiencing challenges including:
- family violence
- homelessness/housing instability
- drug and alcohol use
- social and financial isolation
- women living with complex health and/or disability
- mental health
- young women with pregnancy concerns
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with pregnancy concerns
- Migrants, refugees or asylum seekers with pregnancy concerns
Eligibility Criteria
This service is for pregnant women up to 36 weeks gestation who study, live or work in the City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey or Cardinia Shire.
Eligible Postcodes
- Greater Dandenong – 3171, 3172, 3173, 3174, 3175, 3975
- Casey – 3156, 3177, 3802, 3803, 3804, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3912, 3975, 3976, 3977, 3978, 3980
- Cardinia – 3139, 3159, 3781, 3782, 3783, 3806, 3807, 3808, 3809, 3810, 3812, 3813, 3814, 3815, 3816,3978, 3980, 3981, 3984, 3987
Additional information required
Include all patient demographic and clinical details as well as relevant investigation results
How to refer
Anyone can refer to Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies with the pregnant woman’s consent. This can include:
- the pregnant woman herself
- family and/or community members
- health and community professionals
Referrals can be made by contacting the Access Team:
T: (03) 8572 5631
E:Â iCareAccess@monashhealth.orgÂ
or by using the referral form options here:
Service contact details:
Service Enquiries: 03 8558 9000
Service Enquiries Email: healthymothershealthybabiesprogram@monashhealth.org
Contact hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays)
Locations
The main HMHB site is located at Springvale, but we can see clients at any Monash Health site.
Please review the eligibility criteria before submitting a referral.