We’re excited to launch the Integrated Care Quality Series, a four-part educational series designed to support providers, care teams, and partners in improving outcomes across maternal, preventive, and pediatric care.

Aligned with NC Medicaid’s 2026 Withhold Program, this series will provide practical strategies, updated guidance, and actionable tools to strengthen high-quality, equitable care across the care continuum.

All sessions will be held via live webinar.

Please note: These programs are open to NC Health Department employees only.
Course registration is generously supported by the North Carolina Alliance of Public Health Agencies.

Now Open: Session 1 Registration

Prenatal & Postpartum Care (PPC)

May 27, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Live Webinar

Prenatal and postpartum care is foundational to maternal and infant health outcomes. The Withhold Program emphasizes timely prenatal care initiation and postpartum visits within 7–84 days after delivery. This session will review updated specifications, data collection requirements, F‑code documentation, and culturally responsive engagement strategies to support pregnant and postpartum members.

A Q&A session will be held two weeks after the event; access details will be shared with participants.

Participants will be able to:

✅ Describe PPC measure components and 2026 performance expectations
✅ Apply correct documentation practices—including F‑code usage—to improve data capture and completeness
✅ Identify barriers to timely prenatal and postpartum care and implement outreach workflows to address them
✅ Integrate equity-centered approaches to support members disproportionately impacted by maternal morbidity

👉 Learn more and register

What’s Coming Next

Future sessions in the series will explore:

• Screening for Health-Related Resource Needs (HRRN)
• Women’s Preventive Health (Cervical & Breast Cancer Screening)
• Child & Adolescent Well-Care and Immunizations

We’ll be announcing additional session details soon, with registration opening shortly for fall offerings.

Caring for high-risk maternity patients requires more than clinical expertise and adherence to medical protocols—it calls for compassionate, whole-person support that addresses physical, emotional, and psychological needs. Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches is an evidence-informed, in-person continuing education training designed to empower frontline healthcare professionals with practical, non-pharmacological tools that can be used right at the bedside.

This interactive program is ideal for nurses, doulas, CNAs, social workers, and allied health professionals who support pregnant and birthing individuals facing complex medical or psychosocial challenges. Participants will gain hands-on strategies to enhance patient comfort, reduce anxiety, and foster a sense of safety and connection during some of the most vulnerable moments of care.

What Participants Will Learn

Through guided instruction and experiential learning, participants will explore bedside-appropriate techniques such as:

• Gentle movement techniques to support comfort, circulation, and body awareness for patients with limited mobility
• Breathwork and relaxation strategies that help calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and support coping during prolonged hospitalization
• Practical approaches to enhance comfort and emotional safety, particularly for patients experiencing fear and uncertainty. 
• Strategies for integrating mind-body techniques into interdisciplinary care, supporting consistent, patient-centered approaches across the care team

All content is grounded in clinical experience and evidence-informed practice.

Event Details

Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches
Register here: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/t3/courses-and-events/77918

• Date: June 26, 2026
• Time: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
• Location: Novant Health – Forsyth Medical Center
  3333 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC
• Credits:
  7 Northwest AHEC Contact Hours / 7 Nursing Contact Hours
• Speaker: Angela Gallagher, MHL

Learn from expert speaker Angela Gallagher, MHL, as she shares practical, evidence‑informed strategies to support maternity patients on bedrest. Earn 7 Nursing Contact Hours while gaining tools you can use right away. Space is limited—register now!

Support Healing at the Bedside

By integrating gentle movement, breathwork, and mind-body awareness into everyday care, healthcare professionals can make a meaningful difference in the experience of high-risk maternity patients. Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches offers practical tools to support healing, resilience, and emotional well-being—right where it matters most.

On a beautiful spring day, staff, family, and friends gathered once again at Historic Old Salem to take part in the 6th Annual Walk in Memory of Nicole, held in conjunction with the March of Dimes March for Babies. As we walked the Strollway together, the setting offered a peaceful backdrop for reflection, remembrance, and community.

This annual walk honors Roderica “Nicole” McLaurin, a beloved Northwest AHEC staff member whose kindness, dedication, and spirit left a lasting impact on all who knew her. Nicole unexpectedly passed away in October 2020 following the delivery of her second son, Dylan. Her loss continues to be deeply felt, but her memory lives on through this meaningful tradition.

For the past six years, we have gathered alongside Nicole’s family and friends to walk in her honor—keeping her legacy alive while surrounding one another with support and love. Each step we take is a reminder of Nicole’s compassion and her commitment to caring for others.

By joining the March for Babies, our walk is also part of a broader mission to address America’s maternal and infant health crisis. This nationwide movement brings communities together to raise critical funds and awareness—ensuring more families have access to the care, education, and resources they need. It’s a mission that resonates deeply with our work and values at Northwest AHEC.

We are proud to play a small but meaningful role in this movement, honoring Nicole in a way that turns remembrance into action and hope. Thank you to everyone who walked with us, supported the cause, and helped continue a legacy rooted in love, service, and community.

Together, we walk to remember.
Together, we walk for healthier moms and babies.