Background
The First Steps Parents of Newborns Program was developed in 1984 at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Since its early beginnings, the First Steps program has expanded to include over 40 sites in Georgia; to Connecticut, Alabama, Virginia, Arizona, and Louisiana; and to military installations around the world. In Fiscal year 2005, over 17,000 families in Georgia were visited by First Steps volunteers.
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Sponsoring Agencies
First Steps is the only hospital based, volunteer driven, parent support program operating in Chatham County, Georgia. The program is sponsored and supported by the Coastal Empire R.O.C.K. Group, Inc. (Raising Our Children Kindly.) The R.O.C.K. Group is a collaboration of agencies, businesses, and individuals committed to the protection of children and the support of families. The R.O.C.K. Group purpose is to lead, support, and coordinate citizens and professionals in an effort to end child abuse and neglect through volunteer, community based, prevention programs and increased public awareness.
For more information call 912-356-8404 or log on to www.coastalrockgroup.com
The host site where First Steps services take place in at the Mary Telfair Women's Hospital Telfair Birthplace on the Candler Hospital campus. The program has been in operation there since October 1, 2003. Expansion plans to provide First Steps services to all birthing facilities in Chatham County are under development.
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Staff -- Stephanie Cannon Mobley, MSW
Job Title: Community Outreach Coordinator
Phone: 912-819-6911
mobleyste@sjchs.org
| Staff -- Heather Downs
Job Title: Parent Education Coordinator
Phone: 912-819-6910
downsh@sjchs.org
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Support Staff -- Penny Maggioni, Program Supervisor
Job Title: Executive Director, The R.O.C.K. Group
Phone: 912-356-8404
director@coastalrockgroup.com
| Support Staff -- Celestine West, Hospital Liaison
Job Title: Telfair Birthplace Manager
Phone: 912-819-6021
westc@sjchs.org
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The First Steps Advisory Committee
The First Steps program is guided by a community team comprised of representatives from the medical community, the health department, parents and volunteers, businesses, child welfare organizations, and social service agencies. Participation is voluntary and committee members are asked to make at least a one year commitment to the program.
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Dr. Tom Clark
Retired pediatrician
Dr. Jamie Downs
Coastal Region Medical Examiner
GBI
Sarah Benton, Committee Chair
Bright from the Start DHR
Christina Hanson
Chatham County Health Department
Jane Garrison
Safe Kids Savannah
Amanda Feus Kobek
Savannah-Chatham Schools
| Glenda Woo
Coastal Health District
Johnnye Rogers
Child Care Resource/Referral
Celestine West
Manager, Telfair Birthplace
Kim Howard
Department Family & Children Services
Casey & Matthew Schivera
First Steps Parents
Alison Gramza
Safe Kids Savannah
| LeAnn Arp
WellCare HMO
Audrey Biloon
Attorney
Sunshine Weeter
First Steps volunteer
Dr. Linda Sacks
Neonatologist
Donna Williams
Amerigroup Corp.
Jacquelyn Ogden
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
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Our Parent Coaches
Volunteers are the heart of our program and we can never have enough of them! Volunteer training is held regularly throughout the year at a time that will fit most schedules. Find out specifics about volunteer opportunities on our Become a Volunteer Parent Coach page.
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Angelique Ash
Veronica Baker
Marion Chaney
Betty Cofield
Stacey Corbitt
Calandra Ervin
Judy Flanagan
Marie Sophie Francois
Kelly Frye
Henrietta Gloyd
| Barbara Hill
Erin Jenkins
Ta'Kara Johnson
Whitney Kimbrough
Tia McDuffy
Debi McNeal
Lula Mitchell
Linda Nowlin
Mari O'Brien
| Sharon Roddenberry
Sarah Rodriguez
Lynda Schermerhorn
Tanesha Sloan
Bernice Tanner
Sunshine Weeter
Connie Wohlgemeth
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