Field Placement: MotherNet L.A.
Location: Compton, CA
Preceptor: Katie Eilers, MPH, Director
Student Name: Eva Vielmetter
Year: 2003

During the summer of 2003, I completed a 400-hour internship at MotherNet L.A., a community-based home visiting program and family resource center in Compton that addresses the needs of at risk pregnant women and teens, new mothers, and families throughout South Los Angeles. MotherNet L.A. seeks to ensure that children are born healthy, stay healthy, and live in a safe, stimulating, nurturing environment that helps them develop optimally, that families are strengthened and their self-sufficiency is enhanced, that teen pregnancy rates are reduced, and that community capacity is strengthened. The agency works toward these goals through home visiting and case management, parenting and health education classes, support groups, health coverage application assistance, career track training and mentoring, outreach services, and collaboration with other organizations in the community.

The director of MotherNet L.A., Katie Eilers, received a grant from the First 5 California Public Education Program to distribute messages to the community regarding the importance of brain development in children ages zero to five, reading, talking, and playing with children, not smoking or abusing alcohol or drugs during pregnancy, breastfeeding, proper discipline, early literacy, nutrition, child safety, health care, and quality child care. Since my interests lie in maternal and child health, I was happy to assume the position of First 5 California Public Education Program Coordinator at MotherNet L.A.

My main task was to coordinate and monitor the distribution of the First 5 California messages to approximately 1,300 members of the Latino community in Compton and surrounding South Los Angeles, many of whom are newly arrived immigrants. I developed data collection/tracking tools, contacted local health fairs, clinics, and child care providers and distributed First 5 California messages to new and expectant parents at these venues, monitored proper distribution and tracking of First 5 California messages by MotherNet L.A. staff, and wrote a First 5 California Public Education Program status report. I also attended several meetings and trainings, including a Certified Application Assistant training to assist families in applying for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.

Working at MotherNet L.A., interacting with the staff and community, and attending various meetings and trainings, has exposed me to the many different aspects of a community-based organization that is struggling to survive in the current economic and political climate. I learned about community needs and challenges, funding issues, employee dynamics, outreach activities and strategies, program planning and evaluation, and much more. It was an enjoyable experience!

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