Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont (PQC-VT)

The Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont (PQC-VT) is a formal partnership of long-standing Vermont Child Health Improvement Program projects that have joined forces to become Vermont’s resource for perinatal care.
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Optimizing Health Access in Vermont

The mission of the Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont is to optimize health access, treatment, and outcomes in pregnancy and infancy through collaboration and continuous quality improvement.

PQC-VT Handout (PDF)

Current Projects

colorful journey map with many visuals

Vermont Perinatal Substance Use Journey Map

This journey map shares ICoNS Patient and Family Advisor's honest reflections and sheds light on the complex, often non-linear path to recovery. We are grateful for their courage, vulnerability, and willingness to share and to help inform effective and empathetic care approaches and reduce stigma.

Announcements

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  • Upcoming Improving Care of Newborns with Substance Exposure Statewide Call!

    June 17, 2025, from 12:00-1:00 PM

    Human Trafficking: Recognize, Refer and Collaborate

    Participants will explore how definitions of human trafficking shape prevention efforts and response strategies. The training will focus on recognizing trafficking indicators, delivering meaningful interventions, and building sustainable collaborations to support survivors effectively.

    Registration Link

  • The PQC-VT Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) is recruiting! Learn more about being a Patient and Family Advisor.
  • Perinatal Psychiatric Consultation Service: Free consultations are available for medical providers. For free Perinatal Psychiatry Consultations call the Vermont Consultation and Psychiatry Access Program (VTCPAP) at 802-488-5342 or visit: https://www.vtcpap.com/.

Reports

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  • The annual Perinatal Public Health (PDF) report presents data focused on understanding births and related pregnant person factors and infant outcomes across Vermont.
  • The annual Evaluation and Report of Perinatal Statistics for Vermont Community Hospitals report is an analysis of perinatal data for ten Vermont community hospitals with obstetric services. The report includes data reported by hospital staff and data reported to the Vermont Department of Health including birth certificate data, immunization registry data and newborn screening registry data. The report is shared annually with community hospitals during the spring through annual stats conferences to review perinatal outcomes data in the context of key maternal and newborn quality indicators. 

Training Opportunities

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  • The Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont presents the Improving Care of Newborns with Substance Exposure (ICoNS) Annual Statewide Conference, "Working Together: Optimizing Care through Statewide Collaboration". The conference will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. ICoNS Annual Statewide Conference Flyer (PDF)

Initiatives

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Project Team

Faculty

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  • Breena Holmes, MD, FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics
  • Marjorie Meyer, MD, Professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Vice Chair for Obstetrics
  • Kelley McLean, MD, Associate Professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine
  • Charles Mercier, MD, Professor of Pediatrics
  • Michelle Shepard, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  • Adrienne Pahl, MD, Assistant Professor of Neonatology
  • Marianne (Molly) Rideout, MD, Professor of Pediatrics
  • Carole McBride, PhD, Assistant Professor and Faculty Scientist, Research of Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Deirdre O'Reilly, MD, Associate Professor of Neonatology
  • Whittney Barkhuff, MD, Assistant Professor of Neonatology
  • Delia Horn, MD, Assistant Professor of Neonatology
  • Aaron Wallman-Stokes, MD, Assistant Professor of Neonatology
  • Samuel Loren, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  • Sarah Guth, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Vermont Department of Health

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  • Ilisa Stalberg, MSS, MLSP, Family and Child Health Director
  • Katy Leffel, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Perinatal Nurse Coordinator
  • Laura Pentenrieder, MPH, Program Manager

VCHIP Staff

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  • Julie Parent, MPH, MSW, Project Director, Department of Pediatrics
  • Samantha Bellinger, MA, Program Specialist, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
  • Angela Zinno, MA, Project Coordinator, Department of Pediatrics
  • Courtenay Devlin, MS, Data Manager, Department of Pediatrics
  • Kim Dacek, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, Perinatal Community Outreach Nurse Practitioner, Department of Pediatrics
  • Kayla Panko, BSN, RNC-MNN, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences