MOMS Orange County
Delivering bright futures
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
MOMS Orange County was founded in 1992 in response to a crisis in access to prenatal healthcare for low-income, at-risk women. Today, the women we serve – primarily women of color, almost 90% of whom qualify for Medi-Cal (Medicare) insurance, a reliable indicator of their low-income status—continue to face worse maternal health outcomes than their wealthier counterparts. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, they are considerably more likely to report low health literacy, limited access to prenatal and postpartum care, and are more likely to develop negative health outcomes such as gestational diabetes and prenatal and postpartum depression, all of which can have long-term effects of the physical and emotional health of the mother and her baby. Babies born into poverty are also more likely to live in unsafe and unstable housing, face food insecurity, and fall behind developmentally and academically than babies from wealthier families (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia).
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Maternal Child Health Coordination
MOMS Orange County’s Home Visitation Program helps babies reach health and developmental milestones on time, while preparing mothers and fathers for healthy parenting. Through monthly home visits (which are now taking place virtually), MOMS’ Maternal-Child Health Coordinators (Home Visitors) assess the family’s environment, economic stability, access to food, support, and other social determinants of health that impact the family and their baby’s development. Beginning in pregnancy and continuing through the baby’s 13th month, MOMS provides ongoing support and education to empower the women we serve by equipping them with the tools to advocate for herself, help her have a healthy pregnancy, and be ready for childbirth and breastfeeding.
During pregnancy, visits focus on preparing the women for birth and comprehensive health screenings that assess each woman’s risk of maternal depression, domestic violence, preterm delivery, and gestational diabetes. After birth, monthly visits continue, focusing on the growth and development of the baby as well as the mother’s health and well-being by establishing a medical home, tracking immunizations, promoting breastfeeding and nutrition, educating mothers on early brain stimulation, promoting infant play and exercise, and enhancing parenting skills. In addition to providing education and support, Home Visitors complete assessments with each mother to track her physical and mental health and the baby to ensure that they are on-track to meet important developmental and socio-emotional milestones.
Home visitation is provided by highly trained paraprofessionals under the supervision of Registered Nurse Case Managers. Home Visitors are bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese, sharing each mother’s language and culture. Through monthly visits, Home Visitors are able to establish a trusting relationship promoting open communication. Traditionally, visits take place in the client’s home, allowing staff to interact with the child and mother and assess the well-being of the family. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MOMS continues to offer home visits to families via Zoom, Facetime, and by phone.
Group Health Education Classes
MOMS Orange County provides group health education classes that offer support and guidance to new and expecting parents in a welcoming environment. During pregnancy, classes focus on preparing future parents for childbirth and parenting. Pregnant women learn about the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent and address maternal depression and anxiety. After pregnancy, parents learn to cope with the stress of parenting, learn important parenting skills, and learn to engage with their babies to encourage parent-child bonding and healthy child development.
In fiscal year 2021, MOMS is offering the following health education classes:
Prenatal Education (offered in Spanish) – focuses on fetal development, prenatal care, and the importance of healthy nutrition, exercise, and self-care during pregnancy.
Childbirth Preparation (offered in Spanish and English) – classes focus on pregnancy and anatomy, preparation for labor and delivery, medication and anesthesia options, and breathing techniques and exercises.
Preparing for Motherhood (offered in Spanish and English) – utilizes the ROSE (Reach Out Stay Strong Essentials for mothers of newborns) curriculum, which has been found to reduce symptoms of maternal depression in racially and ethnically diverse women by as much as half. In this class, participants learn to identify signs of maternal mental health disorders, to set firm boundaries, to identify areas of strength, and build circles of support in an effort to reduce or prevent symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety. In the first and last Preparing for Motherhood classes, Health Educators complete Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale screenings with each woman enrolled in this program to measure their symptoms or risk of experiencing prenatal or postpartum depression. By testing these women at entry and exit, we hope to see a decrease in participants’ symptoms and/or risk of developing prenatal or postpartum depression.
Mommy and Me (offered in Spanish and English) – new mothers and their babies aged 3-5 months, 6-11 months, and 12-17 months come together in a fun and creative group environment. New mothers, many of whom are experiencing the challenges of poverty complicated by COVID-19, learn to use materials in their homes to create fun toys for their babies and share their successes and struggles with one another.
My Parents and Me (offered in Spanish and English) – new parents and their babies aged 3-5 months and 6-11 months learn hands-on activities to stimulate their baby’s mental and physical development. Parents have the opportunity to speak candidly about their experiences and how the birth of their baby has impacted them.
New Dads Workshop (offered in Spanish) – veteran fathers mentor new fathers as they learn to care for their infant babies. The class highlights the father’s positive role in the family while educating them about child abuse prevention and support behavior as a father and partner. In this men-only class, fathers are encouraged to share their fear and hopes as new parents and to discuss their own experiences with their fathers, which may greatly impact their views on fatherhood and their own parenting styles.
Breastfeeding Education (offered in Spanish, English, and Vietnamese) – pregnant women who plan to breastfeed are provided education, resources, and support. Women are also invited to take part in one-on-one breastfeeding support after the birth of their baby.
Postpartum Support Group (offered in Spanish) – new mothers meet weekly to learn about breastfeeding and share their struggles and triumphs. The support group focuses on improving mental health outcomes by teaching and reinforcing ROSE lessons and includes EPDS screenings.
MOMS also provides other adult classes focusing on wellness and health for men and women and parenting classes that provide support to parents of older children, including teenagers.
Traditionally, MOMS Orange County’s Health Education classes are offered in-person at its Santa Ana Facility, as well as other location in Orange County in partnership with Family Resource Centers and community agencies. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, MOMS is offering these classes virtually via Zoom.
Where we work
External reviews
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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsPercentage of pregnant women served who were at high/moderate risk of gestational diabetes who did not develop gestational diabetes.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls
Related Program
Maternal Child Health Coordination
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
Pregnant women are screened for their risk of gestational diabetes at program entry. Moderate/high risk women are provided health education to reduce risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Percent of babies who are on-track developmentally at program exit.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers
Related Program
Maternal Child Health Coordination
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Babies enrolled in the Home Visitation program are screened for developmental health and socio-emotional health bi-monthly through their 13th month.
Number of women screened for maternal depression.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls
Related Program
Maternal Child Health Coordination
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2023, 1,526 women received monthly home visitation services. Of those women, 950 received formal screenings and 499 received referrals for support.
Percent of babies who are on-track with their immunizations at program exit.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers
Related Program
Maternal Child Health Coordination
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2020, the COVID-19 lockdown and associated fears of infection affected pediatrician well-child visits and the percentage of infants on track with their immunizations at program exit.
Percent of babies that have a medical home at program closure.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers
Related Program
Maternal Child Health Coordination
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2022, MOMS served 1,164 babies in its monthly home visitation program. Of those, 677 graduated from the program and 676 had a medical home at exit.
Number of individuals served in all Group Health Education Classes.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Infants and toddlers
Related Program
Group Health Education Classes
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
MOMS Offers Group Health Education Classes to pregnant women, new parents, and their babies. Classes cover important topics including childbirth preparation, prenatal education, and breastfeeding
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
MOMS Orange County’s envisions healthy babies, empowered mothers, and strong families throughout Orange County. We offer high-impact, low-cost Home Visitation and Health Education programs to improve maternal health outcomes for low-income women and to ensure that babies are born healthy and have a strong foundation for their continued happiness and success.
Our programs empower the women we serve by providing them the tools and support necessary to advocate for themselves and to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their baby. Through individual support and group health education, MOMS aims to accomplish the following:
- Improve understanding of exercise, and good health among pregnant women enrolled in our program.
- Reduce rates of gestational diabetes among the women we serve.
- Reduce incidence of maternal mental health disorders including prenatal depression, postpartum depression, and maternal anxiety, which impact more than 20% of women during pregnancy and the first year after the birth of their child.
- Reduce rates of pre-term birth, low birth weight, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission among babies served in our programs.
- Help women enrolled in the program identify any Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) they may have endured as children and address the long-term impacts these may have had on their lives. MOMS’ staff provide education as well as referrals to community partners in an effort to address past ACEs and prevent ACEs from impacting the lives of their babies.
- Help babies meet developmental and socio-emotional milestones, preparing them for future schooling.
- Help babies stay on-track with their immunizations and medical care.
- Help families impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic access appropriate care and obtain basic needs including food, diapers, maternity and baby clothing, baby goods, transportation assistance, and more.
While MOMS does not provide direct medical care, our programs and staff encourage clients to have a medical home, access and make use of prenatal and postpartum care, complete well-baby visits, and more. Our Home Visitors and Health Educators also provide referrals to community resources that may provide financial support, legal assistance, food, and other material goods.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
MOMS Orange County will meet the above goals in the following ways:
MOMS will improve maternal health and birth outcomes through health screenings and individualized monthly education and support. Home Visitors conduct health screenings to assess each woman’s risk of developing gestational diabetes or delivering a premature or low-birth weight baby.
MOMS will reduce incidence of maternal mental health disorders including prenatal and postpartum depression and maternal anxiety. Using the ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong Essentials for mothers of newborns) curriculum, Home Visitors and Health Educators will help women identify their strengths, build networks of support, identify early signs of maternal mental health disorders, and access help when necessary. The ROSE curriculum has been found to reduce rates of maternal depression among racially and ethnically diverse women by as much as half. In the visitation program and in two of MOMS’ group health education classes (Preparing for Motherhood and the Postpartum Support Group), MOMS’ staff will complete a Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening to identify women at risk of or experiencing symptoms of depression. Women found to be at-risk of or experiencing mental health disorders are connected to community resources.
In addition to EPDS screenings, MOMS’ Home Visitors also complete ACEs and parent-child bonding screenings. ACEs screenings are completed at entry and help Home Visitors and the women enrolled in our program identify potential sources of distress and identify areas of need. Home Visitors can adapt the program to address these ACEs as necessary and provide referrals to treatment or support. MOMS’ Home Visitors use the FIRST tool to assess safety in the baby’s physical environment and to assess bonding between the mother and baby. The FIRST tool was developed by MOMS Orange County in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Orange County Chapter.
MOMS will ensure that babies enrolled in our program are on-track developmentally and socio-emotionally. MOMS’ Home Visitors complete developmental and socio-emotional screenings with every baby enrolled in our Maternal-Child Health Coordination program. MOMS uses the nationally recognized Ages and Stages Questionnaire – 3rd Edition (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE:2) to identify children who may be in need of early intervention or early childhood special education services. RN Case Managers review the screenings and provide referrals or contact the baby’s primary care provider, if necessary. Health Educators in our Mommy and Me and My Parents and Me classes also help parents identify potential concerns and connect them to community resources or direct them to speak with their child’s medical provider.
Home Visitors are supervised by a team of Registered Nurse Case Managers who assess each screening and provide additional support, including medical referrals, as needed
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
MOMS Orange County has offered one-on-one education and support to low-income, vulnerable pregnant women and new mothers since 1992. As one of the key safety net organizations in Orange County providing essential prenatal and infant health services to low-income and underserved communities, MOMS Orange County has been recognized by the Health Care Agency of Orange County, First 5 Orange County, California Department of Health Services, and the U.S. Congress for its innovative work in the community and impact on the health of mothers and babies in Orange County. MOMS has also been recognized by the California Department of Public Health Services Diabetes & Pregnancy Program for improving the outcomes of pregnant women with diabetes and reducing their risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
A study conducted by the University of California, Irvine Program in Nursing Science and MOMS found that in 2012, every prenatal visit conducted by MOMS’ Maternal-Child Health Coordinators (also known as Home Visitors) is associated with 62 grans of increase in birth weight, .38 weeks of increase in gestational age at birth, and 27% reduction in the odds of spending at least one day in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
MOMS’ experienced Home Visitors are bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese. A key element to MOMS’ approach is that staff shares the same culture and language and are able to gain the trust and confidence of the client because of the personalized relationship developed over time. The Home Visitors are supervised and supported by two full-time registered nurse case managers who review completed health and development assessments and provide referrals and guidance, as needed.
Miriam Castellanos, Director of Program Administration, manages the Maternal-Child Health Coordination Program. She has more than 28 years’ experience in serving low-income pregnant women and families, 18 of those as a Home Visitor at MOMS Orange County. She works closely with our team of Home Visitors and has a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of low-income pregnant women and new mothers in Orange County as well as the many resources available to them within our community. Prior to serving as the Director of Program Administration, Miriam served as the Manager of Maternal Child Health Coordinators at MOMS.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, MOMS’ one-on-one health education program served 1,717 pregnant women and new mothers and 1,410 babies. Our group health education classes served an additional 773 unduplicated mothers, babies, and caring family members. Our Home Visitors completed 10,956 one-on-one visits with the women and babies enrolled in our programs.
We know our programs work because babies born to women enrolled in MOMS’ programs are born healthier. In fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, 622 babies were born to women enrolled in our one-on-one visitation program. Of those babies, fewer than 6% were born at a low birth weight, fewer than 8% were born prematurely, and fewer than 7% were admitted to the NICU after birth. Of the babies that graduated from our program, 97% were on track developmentally, 100% had a medical home, and 88% were on track with their immunizations (compared to the national rate of 70%).
MOMS has identified four potential areas of growth that will allow the organization to expand its services and provide additional support to families across Orange County. Potential areas of growth include: 1) entering into new contracts with hospitals to provide one-on-one visitation and support to Medi-Cal eligible pregnant women they serve; 2) government-funded contracts to serve more vulnerable populations including CalWORKs-eligible households, young mothers, and mothers with histories of substance use disorders; 3) expanding our services to support families with children up to age 3; and 4) offering new health systems products including a broader range of services to address childhood development, adverse childhood experiences, and social determinants of health, and training in new evidence-based home visiting models.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MOMS Orange County
Board of directorsas of 02/13/2024
Dr. Allyson Brooks
Sadie Sacks, RN, MSN
Retired - Director Regional Perinatal Program, Orange County
Mark Marten
Healthcare Consulting Mazars USA LLP
Allyson Brooks, MD
Hoag Ginny Ueberroth Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Women's Health Institute
Tom Horton
Caris Life Sciences
David Lagrew, MD
Hoag Memorial Hospital
Elenea Medina, MD
Kaiser Permanente
Davina Samuel
Union Bank
Sasha Yamaguchi
Collective Health
Nichole Ramirez
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties
Dottie Andrews
Founder/Retired
Victor Valenzuela
StrikeWorks Solutions
Kathy O'Donnell
Philanthropist
Lisa Cowan, DNP
Providence St. Joseph Hospital
Jean Millar
Retired - Providence
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/02/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.