Quarter 4 | December 2023
End of Year Reminder
The Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation will be closed for the Holiday Season (December 25th through January 1st) to allow staff to spend time with their families.
Please continue to offer referrals to First Breath during this time. All individuals referred will be contacted the week of January 2nd, 2024.
Program Updates & Reminders
2023 First Breath Provider Survey

Your feedback makes First Breath stronger and more effective.

First Breath is committed to providing relevant, responsive programming. Please take 15 minutes out of your day to share your HONEST feedback with us. 

As a "thank you" for your time and effort, we will randomly select 20 survey respondents to receive a $10 gift card.
 
The survey is anonymous. We will collect your contact information for the gift card drawing, but it will not be linked to your survey data.  
First Breath Spotlight: First Breath Program Graduate
"I was pregnant with my second child, and I really wanted to quit smoking so I could be a happier and healthier mom to my kids. Growing up I remember having to wait for my parents to finish smoking before we could do things, and I realized that I didn't want that. To help me stop smoking and vaping, I continuously thought about my kids and what I wanted to be able to do with them as motivation to stay smoke - free.

I noticed within my first week that I was feeling more and more energy, which I hadn't felt in such a long time. I noticed I was able to do things without coughing my lungs up as well. I also recovered from being sick a lot faster compared to when I smoked. I definitely feel like a better me. Even healthier to be honest.

I want to say you can do it and it is possible to quit and even though it may be hard in the beginning, it is definitely worth it! Thanks First Breath!"
Ready to refer someone to
First Breath? 
Click the button to begin a referral.
Want to hear more First Breath participant stories?
Click the button to access more graduate stories.
We look forward to working with you to support pregnant and parenting people and to improve maternal and child health in Wisconsin.
COMPLETE OUR
ONLINE TRAINING!
If you have not already completed since July 2022, we are asking all First Breath sites & referring staff to complete this 1-hour training.
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Do you submit First Breath Referrals via Fax? Our fax number has recently changed.
Our FAX Number is 855.746.8502
Staffing Updates
Meet our New Health Educator
LaKeesha was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism/Mass Communications and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Most recently LaKeesha earned a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. She is a mother of two children and two fur babies. LaKeesha has a passion for working with the prenatal population and has done so in her community since 2018. In her free time, LaKeesha is a sports mom (basketball & track), loves to read, shop and travel to new destinations. She is excited to join WWHF, working alongside their mission of providing high-quality health education.

Program Utilization
Thank you for your support and utilization of the First Breath program. 
Below are reports reflecting First Breath data thus far in 2023 (1/1/2023-11/30/2023).

First Breath is now using data visualization to monitor program utilization and outcomes. Check it out below!
Stay up to date with Monthly, Site-Specific Progress Reports!

Use the button below
Interested in learning about First Breath's tobacco reach by county?

Use the button below
Congratulations to the First Breath sites with the highest number of referrals for pregnant and postpartum people year-to-date:

  1. Beloit Health System - Beloit Clinic - 44
  2. Aurora Medical Group - Marinette - 37
  3. Auora Health Center - Oshkosh - 36
  4. Columbia St. Mary's OBGYN Residency Clinic Women's Hospital - 32
  5. Ascension St. Joseph Women's Outpatient Center - 27
  6. Milwaukee Women's Care Center - 27
  7. Health and Nutrition Service of Racine, Inc. - 22
  8. UW Health 20 S. Park Clinic - 22
  9. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - 19
  10. Menominee Tribal Clinic - 13
  11. MHS Health Wisconsin - 13
News & Resources

Join a 60 - minute webinar on January 17, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. CT presented by Maine Health Center for Tobacco Independence to learn more about mindfulness and empathy: pathways to healing.
The presentation will explore the practice of mindfulness and empathy as helpful ways in treating Tobacco Use and other substance use disorders. It will examine how cognitive patterns and emotional wounds lead to self - destructive addictions.
Smoking Cessation Reimbursement Guidelines

Ever wonder if you can bill for smoking cessation services? The short answer is, yes, you can. The American Lung Association has a billing guide for tobacco screening and cessation. Interested in learning more, click the link below.
Women's Health Webinar Series

Using virtual platforms, WWHF's GrapeVine Program is providing a Women's Health Webinar Series. Interested? See what sessions are coming up (below)!
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
12:00pm-1:00pm
Topic: Advance Care Planning: It's About the Conversation

Tuesday, January 23, 2024
10:00am-11:00am
Topic: Advance Care Planning: It's About the Conversation

Thursday, February 22, 2024
10:30am-11:30am
Topic: Heart Disease & Stroke: Life - Saving Learning for Women

Thursday, March 21, 2024
2:00pm-3:00pm
Topic: Better Sleep: What's Getting in the Way?

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
1:30pm-2:30pm
Topic: Coping with Stress Through Journaling
Questions or Feedback?
We'd love to hear from you! Email to [email protected]
First Breath is Wisconsin's program to help people make positive changes to their tobacco, alcohol, and other substance use during pregnancy & beyond.
First Breath is operated by the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation with funding from the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Control Program & Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
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