The National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative (PCHHC) was started in 2006 as a collaborative effort of over 70 national public-private partners. Still strong today, this partnership is working to improve young adults’ health and wellness as they foster a healthy life course for them and any children they may have.

The project is supported by a small but determined staff based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at the Center for Maternal and Infant Health in the School of Medicine and the Jordan Institute for Families in the School of Social Work. Sarah Verbiest, DrPH, MSW, MPH, is the program director with over a decade of experience working in the field of maternal and infant health. She has spoken about preconception and women’s health globally and is an avid advocate for the health and well-being of young adults. Katherine Bryant, MA, MSPH, is the project manager supporting work at all levels of the project, including the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network on Infant Mortality Preconception Health project. Suzanne Woodward, BA, is the communications director coordinating social media, branding, and websites for consumers and professionals. Erin McClain, MA, MPH brings her expertise in working with health care providers, quality improvement, and chronic conditions to this work. Together they are joined by graduate students and volunteers from across the country in driving this work forward. Key partners for the current project include: Rachel Berkowitz, Kenn Harris, Kay Johnson, Dan Frayne, Mary Webster, and Milt Kotelchuck. A full list of partners is coming soon.

Project Support

Our project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UF3MC31239- Preconception CoIIN.The grant amount totals $1,494,993. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authorand should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

In the past we have received support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Learn more at BeforeandBeyond.org.

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• The Before and Beyond website has a wealth of information and resources for community workers, public health professionals, health care providers and researchers who want to improve the health and well being of people of reproductive age in the U.S.
• The site was created and is maintained by the clinical workgroup of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative (PCHHC). This team includes health care professionals from many different types of backgrounds and scientists all working to keep the information current!
• Clinical Toolkit: Designed to help primary care providers, their colleagues and their practices incorporate preconception health into the routine care of women of childbearing age. View the Toolkit here.
• CME Modules: Free, credited by Albert Einstein College of Medicine: The modules can be used for CME credit by physicians, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants. View CME Modules here.

Join us in our efforts to developing, implementing, and share a woman-centered, clinician-engaged, community-involved approach to the well-woman visit to improve the preconception health status of women of reproductive age, particularly low-income women and women of color. We are working with people in California, Delaware, North Carolina, and Oklahoma as well as experts in other states to make change. Want to join? Email Sarah Verbiest!

Learn more here.