Spalding Regional Medical Center, through the Tenet Healthcare Foundation, has awarded a $1,000 grant to Prevent Child Abuse Spalding, a subcommittee of the Spalding County Collaborative.

The grant was used to help fund the First Steps program at Spalding Regional. The First Steps program helps parents overcome challenges, prepare for their new addition and get to know their infant. The goal of the program is to stop child abuse and neglect before it happens by giving new parents tools and resources to seek help if they need it.

A full-time coordinator and part-time assistant coordinator along with trained volunteers visit all new parents who deliver a baby at Spalding Regional Medical Center. The First Steps staff and volunteers provide parents with support, parenting information, referrals to community resources and a “new baby” calendar with growth and developmental milestones. The First Steps coordinators also follow up with each new parent for three months after delivery. Since First Steps began at Spalding, the coordinators have seen 60 new parents and have been well received by both the new parents and the Women’s Center staff.

First Steps volunteers are still needed to help with the program at Spalding Regional Medical Center. If you are interested in becoming a First Steps volunteer at Spalding Regional, please call (770) 885-6038.