Perinatal/Infant Health Action Plan (October 1, 2025-September 30, 2026)

Priority Need: Improve access to risk-appropriate care through evidence-based enhancements to the perinatal systems of care

As there are currently 39 birthing hospitals in SC, the Perinatal Program will continue to provide oversight of the Perinatal Regionalization System and encourage participation in various committees and activities throughout SC. Some of those activities include active participation in supporting the SC Birth Outcomes Initiative (BOI), SIMs Coach Simulations, and other events throughout the year.

Priority Need: Strengthen implementation of evidence-based practices that keep infants safe, healthy, and prevent mortality

The Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committee is considering the following preliminary recommendations:

• Safe sleep education emphasizing use of a checklist for safe sleep practices in out-of-home childcare facilities, emphasizing no cereal in bottles since two infant deaths involved cereal in the infants’ bottles.
• Encourage referrals to Postpartum Newborn Home Visits/Family Connects Home Visiting provided by the South Carolina Department of Public Health and other home visiting programs that provide 1:1 safe sleep education at each visit.
• Provide safe sleep education for community health care workers.
• Obstetrician and Pediatrician reinforcement of safe sleep.
• Letter from coroner to MDs re: unsafe sleep deaths in provider's community.
• Update SC Safe Sleep brochure (visuals & direct quotes from coroner/EMS, FIMR recommendations).
• Promote a Safe Sleep Board for Healthcare Provider Offices.
• Collaboration with MCOs in promoting/recognizing Safe Sleep practices in facilities and the home.
• 'Call to Action' with data per community; review stats in a defined period following interventions.

South Carolina continues to make strategic advancements in maternal and child health through a broad array of coordinated efforts led by the Title V program and its partners. Among these, the SC Birth Outcomes Initiative has remained focused on reducing sleep-related infant deaths by advancing public education on safe sleep practices. The Safe Sleep Workgroup, in collaboration with pediatricians, licensed childcare providers, and families with lived experience of unsafe sleep events, continues to drive messaging through social media and other outreach channels. A dedicated Safe Sleep Media Workgroup was launched in November 2024 and now meets monthly. This group has developed several public-facing media products, including social media videos and local news segments, to elevate awareness around safe sleep practices across the state.

Complementing these efforts, Family Solutions continues to deliver free education and support services to pregnant and parenting families using a team-based model of community health workers, doulas, social workers, and nurses. The program is currently working to enhance doula service delivery and expand coverage to underserved areas with the goal of reducing maternal and infant mortality. Beyond clinical support, Family Solutions is also broadening the reach of its Family Resource Center to help address non-medical drivers of health, ensuring a more holistic approach to family well-being.

The SC Birth Defects Program is similarly increasing its direct engagement with families. In the coming year, the program will begin mailing tailored resource packets to families of children identified with confirmed birth defects through medical record abstraction. These packets will include locally relevant materials, such as developmental milestone guides, home visiting program information, and access to parent matching services. To further support informed care, program staff will work with physicians and community partners to promote the use of SC-specific birth defect fact sheets. Additional fact sheets focused on rare conditions will be developed through a collaboration with the University of South Carolina.

Building on recent successes, SC DPH will continue its partnership with Healthy Birthday Inc. to promote the Count the Kicks stillbirth prevention campaign. Following the positive reception of the Count the Kicks Oral Health Toolkit, plans are underway to expand toolkit distribution through collaboration with the DPH Oral Health section, reinforcing the importance of oral health during pregnancy as part of broader maternal wellness.

Looking ahead, the Newborn Screening (NBS) Program is preparing to implement screening for Fabry disease and Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II) between 2025 and 2026. This expansion aligns with federal recommendations and state law, and will involve collaboration with key partners, including Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) and the Medical University of South Carolina’s genetics program. To improve diagnostic accuracy and timeliness, the program will also establish additional confirmatory testing for select disorders.

The NBS program continues to work closely with MCH to support coordinated care for infants diagnosed with conditions such as Sickle Cell Disease, Pompe Disease, MPS I, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Joint outreach kits are being developed for use at community events to strengthen public engagement. Meanwhile, NBS Metabolic Formula staff will maintain partnerships with genetic centers, the CYSHCN program, and WIC to ensure access to medically necessary metabolic formula for affected children and adults across the state.

To improve public transparency and usability, the NBS program is also modernizing its digital presence. A redesigned website and an interactive NBS data dashboard, currently in prototype, are in development and expected to go live later this year. These tools will enhance data visualization and accessibility for healthcare providers, policymakers, and the general public.

The First Sound program continues to enhance early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) through system-wide collaboration. This includes working with Part C (BabyNet) and the SC School for the Deaf and Blind Early Intervention program to collect baseline data on language acquisition among Deaf and Hard of Hearing children at age three. In parallel, First Sound will sustain efforts to close gaps in the EHDI system through continued outreach, education, and cross-sector collaboration.

Future plans for the Baby & Me, Tobacco Free program include a redesign of its postpartum incentive model. Instead of the current structure of one monthly session for 12 months at $25 per session, the updated model will offer two sessions per month for six months, still with a $25 incentive per session. This revision aims to maintain support while increasing participant engagement and improving health outcomes for both mothers and babies.

The WIC Program is also preparing for several technology-driven enhancements designed to improve access and user experience. Preliminary work has begun to explore online shopping integration, allowing participants to redeem benefits through approved retailers in a convenient, accessible format. WIC is also in the process of implementing a secure texting platform to provide appointment reminders, nutrition tips, and real-time responses to participant inquiries. These digital upgrades—along with enhanced scheduling systems, virtual education offerings, and staff training—demonstrate WIC’s ongoing commitment to delivering a client-centered, responsive service.

Finally, PASOs is preparing to roll out a new Perinatal Specialty Track training module, entirely in Spanish, for community health workers (CHWs) across South Carolina. This initiative reflects PASOs’ continued leadership in expanding and supporting the perinatal CHW workforce to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking and Latinx families statewide.

Together, these initiatives represent a comprehensive, collaborative effort to improve maternal and child health outcomes across South Carolina. By leveraging cross-sector partnerships, data-informed strategies, and community-based engagement, the Title V program and its allies are actively addressing both medical and social drivers of health to ensure every family has the opportunity to thrive.

The MCH Bureau’s action items to support the 2026-2030 State Action Plan include:

1. Make major revisions to the VLBW hospital reporting processes and increase utilization and submission from level I and II birthing hospitals; collect, analyze and disseminate updated data from standardized VLBW reporting.
2. Convene inaugural Safe Sleep Coalition meeting and formalize membership and charter to expand statewide safe sleep promotion efforts.