Searching for Pregnancy / Postnatal

• Offers prenatal nutrition support through a drop-in program
• Provides free nutritious food
• Offers information on healthy eating
• Coordinates guest speakers on child development and breastfeeding

Note: Childcare is provided so that mothers can receive information and/or listen to guest speakers

Operates as a program under the Healing and Wellness Branch

Delivers a parenting support program and promotes child development

• Offers individual prenatal classes on an as needed basis
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)

Program participants are provided with:

• Advocacy and support
• Emergency supplies for child's basic needs (diapers, formula, baby food and milk)
• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre-birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

Also offers:

• Educational and promotional workshops and presentations to schools, community groups and parents
• Hosts cultural events

Community midwifery service:

• prenatal care and childbirth services to pregnant women
• satellite office

Provides home visits by public health nurses and home visitors to expectant mothers and new parents who are in need of additional support

Home visits provide information about:

• Being a parent
• Breastfeeding, food and healthy nutrition
• Children's growth and development
• Community programs and services that may be beneficial to an individual and their child
• Connecting with your baby
• Having a healthy pregnancy and birth
• Self-care tips for individuals and families

Offers Prenatal Classes for expectant women and their partners, consisting of 4 classes over 4 consecutive weeks on a variety of topics

Facilitated by Public Health Nurses who teach the following topics:

• Breastfeeding your baby
• Labour and birth
• Nurturing your family and care after birth
• You and your growing baby

For prenatal classes and resources see the website

• Promotes healthy sexuality
• Reduces the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) through education

Offers the following services:

• Health Relationships Information
• STI and HIV testing, treatment and HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Low-cost birth control and free condoms
• Needle Syringe Program - Northern Points Exchange service (needles and other harm reduction items)
• Free pregnancy testing and options counselling

• Delivers a parenting support program and promotes child development
• Provides access to culturally appropriate early intervention and prevention services

Program participants are provided with:

• Pre-and post-natal screenings and assessments
• Newborn and Infant screenings and assessments
• Home visiting
• Service co-ordination
• Support for service integration

This organization is a Registered Charity

Provides the following pre and post natal support to expectant mothers, their families and partners:

• Access to midwives or western medical professionals
• Birth control
• Community kitchens
• Health information
• Home visits
• Outings
• Prenatal nutrition
• Pre and post natal exercise classes
• Support services
• Teaching and advocacy

This organization is a Registered Charity

COVID-19 Response
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Great Beginnings program continues to operate through closed Facebook groups, video conference drop-in sessions, individual telephone consultations. They continue to provide healthy groceries to pregnant women to support prenatal health. Connect with local coordinators through the Great Beginnings Facebook page or contact the manager, Joshua Boutotte directly at 705-645-3155 ext. 3219 or jboutotte@handstfhn.ca to be linked to the local programs

Regular Service
Developmental Support Services for Children including:

• Great Beginnings
• Infant and Child Development

Delivers a parenting support program and promotes healthy child development

• Provides group information and educational sessions on topics about healthy pregnancy, birth and taking care of baby at home
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)
• Organizes prenatal classes as needed
• Operates a children's library to encourage child literacy

Program participants are provided with:

• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre-birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer child development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

• Promotes healthy sexuality
• Reduces the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) through education

Offers the following services:

• Health Relationships Information
• STI and HIV testing, treatment and HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Low-cost birth control and free condoms
• Needle Syringe Program - Northern Points Exchange service (needles and other harm reduction items)
• Free pregnancy testing and options counselling

Delivers a parenting support program and promotes child development

• Offers individual prenatal classes on an as needed basis
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)

Program participants are provided with:

• Advocacy and support
• Emergency supplies for child's basic needs (diapers, formula, baby food and milk)
• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre-birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

Also offers:

• Educational and promotional workshops and presentations to schools, community groups and parents
• Hosts cultural events

• Promotes healthy sexuality
• Reduces the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) through education

Offers the following services:

• Health Relationships Information
• STI and HIV testing, treatment and HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Low-cost birth control and free condoms
• Needle Syringe Program - Northern Points Exchange service (needles and other harm reduction items)
• Free pregnancy testing and options counselling

COVID-19 Response
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Great Beginnings program continues to operate through closed Facebook groups, video conference drop-in sessions, individual telephone consultations. They continue to provide healthy groceries to pregnant women to support prenatal health. Connect with local coordinators through the Great Beginnings Facebook page or contact the manager, Joshua Boutotte directly at 705-645-3155 ext. 3219 or jboutotte@handstfhn.ca to be linked to the local programs.

Regular Service
Developmental Services for Children including:

• Great Beginnings
• Infant and Child Development
• Developmental Support Services for Children

• Delivers a parenting support program and promotes healthy child development
• Provides group information and educational sessions on topics about healthy pregnancy, birth and taking care of baby at home
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)

Program participants are provided with:

• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

• Delivers a parenting support program and promotes healthy child development
• Provides group information and educational sessions on topics about healthy pregnancy, birth and taking care of baby at home
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)

Program participants are provided with:

• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

Family doctors providing low-risk obstetrical (labour and delivery) services at the Level I hospital sites in Bracebridge and Huntsville. Prenatal care is also available at this site - learn more: https://www.mahc.ca/en/services/prenatalcare.aspx

COVID-19 Response
Groups will be running over organization-approved virtual platforms until further notice. Contact Laura Barber at 705-645-2262 ext 1244 or Keely Freeburn at 705-645-2262 ext 1227 for more information or to register.

Regular Service
A seven week program for parents suffering mood changes after the birth of a baby. Meet other new parents experiencing mood changes. Discuss relationships and difficult emotions, learn coping strategies and how to take care of yourself. Facilitated by a Mental Health professional. Limited child minding available for walking children (toddlers), parents may bring babies in arms.

For information about upcoming sessions contact Laura Barber at 705-645-2262 ext 1244.

A program of Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital in partnership with EarlyOn Child and Family Centre, Bracebridge.

Sexual health clinic services include:

• family planning and birth control counselling
• birth control prescriptions
• pregnancy confirmation
• telephone info-line counselling services in areas of sexuality, birth control, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections
• testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
• referrals, as necessary, including abortion and adoption
• follow-up

Anonymous HIV Testing services include:

• HIV information and testing, including pre-test counselling on how people get HIV and what a positive or negative test result might mean and post-test counselling to discuss results
• outreach services and education
• referral to community services
• anonymous rapid HIV testing available at the Barrie Clinic only, appointment required

Healthy Babies Healthy Children is a free and voluntary program:

• for women and their families in the prenatal period
• for families with children from birth until their transition to school
• offers support in the home to children and parents identified with difficulties to help with:
  • Healthy pregnancy
  • Feeding (including breastfeeding)
  • Nutrition education
  • Healthy child development
  • Baby care
  • Safety
  • Adjusting to parenthood, and more

Provide a variety of supports to help parents raise healthy children, including:

Health Connection

• help callers with answers to questions about healthy growth and development, child behaviour, safety and more

Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program

• for pregnant women and families with children newborn until transition to school (see separate records)

Breastfeeding Programs

• breastfeeding programs at community locations (see separate records)

Triple P Positive Parenting Program

• support via telephone
• link callers to community programs and services
• guidance and support in managing common parenting challenges
• programs provided at community locations upon request

Free in-person and online prenatal classes

In-Person Classes:

• provide an opportunity to meet other pregnant people and families, talk about pregnancy, birth and newborns and get answers to your questions and concerns from a public health nurse
• classes include labour and birth, comfort measures, medical interventions, newborns, after baby comes, breastfeeding and more

Online Prenatal classes:

• choose the information that interests you, learn at your own pace, topics include:
  • Pregnancy (prenatal care, prenatal tests, baby's growth, body changes, mental health, eating and weight gain, physical activity, sex, preterm labour, alcohol, drugs and smoking safety, special considerations)
  • Labour and Birth (labour, birth story, comfort measures, medical interventions, caesarean birth, relaxation exercises)
  • After Baby is Born (breastfeeding, newborns, postpartum)

Offers a safe space where a person can receive information, assistance, and hope related to an unexpected pregnancy or post-abortion support.

This public health unit provides the following programs and services:

• pre-natal and post-natal services
• pre-school health services
• school health services
• dental care for children
• healthy adult and elderly services
• immunization clinic, appointment required
• sexual health clinics
• nutrition and health promotion services
• environmental health services
• parenting classes
• food safety certification training
• mental health resources
• needle, syringe program
• Naloxone kits and training