About the Curriculum

The HSCMD partnered with a community group to develop its culturally competent, accessible Interconceptional Care Education Training Manual. The community group included physicians, nurses, midwives, social workers, counselors and care coordinators with expertise in the field of women’s health. The training manual was the only one from a community-based organization invited for presentation by the CDC at its 2005 Summit on Promising Practice Models in Preconception Care. Additionally, the HSCMD participated in the CDC/ATSDR Preconception Care Work Group that developed its ten recommendations to improve preconception care in the United States.

The training manual consists of four core modules with multi-sensory activities for each module. The core modules are:

1. Baby Spacing
2. Health and Wellness
3. Nutrition and Exercise
4. Mental Health and Substance Abuse

The training manual accompanies a toolkit that includes the following:

• Birth control and safe sex kit
• Teeth model for brushing and flossing with toothbrush
• Breast Model with palpable and non-palpable lumps
• Folic acid every day toolkit: A resource for learning and teaching about folic acid and neural tube defects

The development of the HSCMD Interconceptional Care Education Training Manual was driven by the Healthy Start Standards and Guidelines, but exceeds the breadth of topics. In addition, the curriculum has been tested in the community and was developed in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership, an organization that specializes in literacy and curriculum development, to ensure:

* Consistency throughout the modules
* Multi-sensory exercises using life-like models (e.g., teeth for oral health)
* Clear instructions for Educator
* All-Inclusive – language, definitions, concepts, objectives, community resources, activities, etc.
* Designed for delivery in any setting – not limited to health care
* Can be delivered in a group setting or one-on-one
* Versatile, adaptable and can be translated
* Average reading level of 8th grade

Each module includes a list of important topics, key words, key concept mastery (learning objectives), two multi-sensory activities and a list of references, community resources & bibliography.

To download a pdf copy of the ICC Training Manual click here.