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CAPC Corps Great Beginnings

Human milk is the single most important nutritional substance available to a newborn. Infants who are not breastfeed start out at a disadvantage and experience less than optimal health throughout their entire life. Despite the compelling arguments in favor of breastfeeding, many mothers in Sacramento County do not choose to breastfeed their infants.

The Home Visitation Coordinating Council (HVCC) through the Great Beginnings program proposes to increase the health and well-being of infants and mothers through support and assistance with breastfeeding. The twenty-four programs in the HVCC serve more than 5,000 families.

Great Beginnings utilizes AmeriCorps members trained as Lactation Counselor Assistants and Bilingual Peer Counselors to increase pre-natal and post-delivery support services to mothers throughout Sacramento County. In addition, an AmeriCorps member, serving as a Volunteer Coordinator, will recruit and support 160 community volunteers who will provide educational workshops, follow-up, outreach, and translation services to families involved in the program.

Great Beginnings Performance Measures:
  • 1,500 pregnant mothers will receive breastfeeding information, support, lactation counseling, and home visitation program referrals;
  • 900 pregnant and new mothers will be coached in breastfeeding by AmeriCorps members;
  • 75% of these new mothers (675 or 900) will initiate breastfeeding and will report that they would not have breastfed for 3 months without AmeriCorps members’ service;
  • 50% of these new mothers (450 of 900) will have breastfed for 6 months and indicate improved infant health;
  • Members will be trained in peer lactation counseling to provide competent services to pregnant women and new mothers; and
  • 29 members will participate in the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Training and AmeriCorps Core Training Curriculum.
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