Webinar: Use the Newly Updated eDirectory to Find Free Pregnancy and Parenting Support

November 12, 2023November 17, 2023 LA Best Babies Network

It’s easier than ever for healthcare or other service providers to connect pregnant people or those with young kids with free home visiting services in Los Angeles County, thanks to the newly updated eDirectory tool. Families can also use the eDirectory themselves to get connected to these support resources.

In 2019, a group of community organizations and hospitals launched the directory to help pregnant people and families find free home visiting services in the L.A. area. A few years later, doula services were added. LA Best Babies Network (LABBN) recently revamped the eDirectory and made it easier to use.

What is the eDirectory? It’s an online tool that helps connect those who are pregnant or who have young children (ages 0-5) with free home visiting and doula services in L.A. County. The eDirectory is funded by First 5 LA and managed by LA Best Babies Network and the Los Angeles County Perinatal & Early Childhood Home Visitation Consortium, which is based at LABBN.

How many programs are in the eDirectory? The eDirectory includes 35+ community organizations and hospitals in L.A. County that use a total of nine different home visiting models to provide support to families. Three doula programs are also included.

How do we know which programs are available? Just answer a few questions, and the eDirectory will sort out eligibility and show all available programs nearby, along with links and information on how to enroll.

In the webinar below — hosted by LA Best Babies Network on November 9, 2023 — the Communications Team at LA Best Babies Network, along with Connie Preciado-Gonzalez, Senior Program Officer at First 5 LA, answer the following questions:

What is home visiting?
Why are home visiting services in L.A. County free?
Who can participate in home visiting?
What is the L.A. County Home Visiting eDirectory?
How can I enroll or help families enroll in home visiting programs?
How can I spread the word about the eDirectory?

Deborah, a mother of three and a current Welcome Baby client at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, also participated in the webinar to share her experience with home visiting. She says although she is not a first-time mother, she still found home visiting to be helpful with her latest pregnancy, “There is so much information that was given, whether breastfeeding, home safety, and everything in general. Even though I’m not a first-time mom, sometimes we just forget, or we need reminders, or more information. The Welcome Baby program has only been helpful for me.”

Watch the webinar below for a demo on the eDirectory