Thank you for participating in the
Welcome Baby Study!
What is this study about?
This is a study of the Welcome Baby program’s virtual home visits. The Welcome Baby program helps moms like you after their baby is born. Welcome Baby staff provide virtual visits to new moms through phone or video calls (through Zoom). We want to learn more about how the virtual visits are helping moms and their babies. Findings from this study will help us understand how Welcome Baby can best support moms and their new babies.
What is Welcome Baby?
This hospital and a few other hospitals across Los Angeles County offer home visiting programs to new moms. One of these programs is called Welcome Baby. Moms who participate in Welcome Baby get free virtual home visits (through phone or video calls) from parent coaches. Parent coaches and registered nurses share parenting information and community resources, answer questions, and check up on moms to see how they're doing. The program lasts 9 months. Program staff will check in with you and your baby five times during the next 9 months. Welcome Baby is not a government program. Welcome Baby is funded by First 5 LA, an organization whose goal is to promote healthy development for children from birth to age 5.
Who can participate in this study?
We are inviting to the study moms who gave birth at one of 13 hospitals in Los Angeles County that offer Welcome Baby, and who live in a community where the Welcome Baby program is available. We are not accepting study volunteers who were not invited to participate by a Hospital Liaison while in the hospital immediately after giving birth.
How does the study work?
Moms like you who sign up for Welcome Baby can also sign up for the study right after the birth of their baby. In addition to getting virtual home visits through Welcome Baby, if you sign up for the study, you will be interviewed three times (by phone or on Zoom) by a member of the Welcome Baby Study team to find out how you are doing and how you like the program. These calls will be scheduled at times that work for you. If conditions allow, the last call may be in person if you are okay with that. When the study is over, we will look at the experiences of all moms in the study to learn how the program is helpful and look for ways to improve the program.
Who is leading this study?
The study team is led by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and is funded by First 5 LA. The study also includes partners at First 5 LA, Georgetown University, Juárez & Associates, the Children’s Data Network at the University of Southern California, and NetChemistry.
Why should I take part in the study?
You have a chance to help the Welcome Baby program improve so more moms can benefit from the program in the future. Findings from the study will help us understand how to best support other moms like you in Los Angeles, in other parts of California, and even nationwide.
Do I have to participate in the study?
Participation is voluntary. You decide whether or not to participate in the study. You can also decide to stop participating in the study at any time without any penalty to you. You can call 877-231-7817 to stop your participation in the study.
What will I do if I am in the study?
If you decide to be in the study, you will
- Take part in an interview when your baby is 3 to 4 months old. About 3 to 4 months after you go home from the hospital, a study team member will schedule an interview with you (by phone or video call) to ask about you and your child’s health and well-being. The interview will take about 35 minutes. You will get a $50 gift card to thank you for your time.
- Take part in an interview when your baby is 10 months old. During this interview, a study team member will ask you some more questions about you and your child’s health and well-being. This call will take about 75 minutes, and you will get a $100 gift card to thank you for your time.
- Take part in an interview when your baby is 18 months old. If circumstances permit, and you are comfortable with it, this interview may be done in person in your home (or another place of your choice). During this interview, a study team member will ask you some questions and watch you bond or interact with your child. The interviewer will also give your child simple activities to do while you are there. For example, the interviewer might ask your child to play games and point to pictures on a page. These activities will allow us to learn about your child’s development. This interview will take about 90 minutes, and you will get a $100 gift card to thank you for your time.
- Allow the authorized study team to look at service records for you and your child. This includes information collected by agencies that provide services to your family, such as the Welcome Baby program, health insurance agencies like Health Net or LA Care, the Department of Children and Family Services, WIC, and CalFresh, as spelled out in the terms of the “Welcome Baby Program’s Authorization to Share Your (and Your Child’s) Information” form. Examples of service records include birth and death records; information on medical services that you and your baby used after delivery; doctor’s visits; immunizations; emergency room visits; the use of other public services, such as early intervention services (for example, Early Head Start); mental health and substance use information; and child welfare reports.
A small number of moms will also be invited to participate in a focus group or four phone interviews. If you are selected for the focus group or interviews, they will be scheduled at a convenient time for you. The focus group will last about 1 hour. After the focus group, you will receive a $100 gift card to thank you for your time. Each interview will last about 75 minutes and will take place over the course of your participation in the Welcome Baby program. After each interview, you will receive a $100 gift card to thank you for your time. Please let us know at the end of this form if you are interested in participating in the focus group or interviews.
Who will see my information?
Only the authorized study team will see personal information like your name and address. We will not share what you tell us with anyone outside the study team unless we learn that you, your child(ren), or someone else is in danger. We will use a number instead of your name to identify you. We will use your information only for research purposes. Research reports will not include your name or any information that could be used to identify you. We WILL NOT share any of your information with state or federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Are there any risks to being in this study?
There are no known risks to being in the study. There is always a risk that your identity could be exposed, but that risk is very small. We have strong security procedures in place to guard your information and privacy. Your name will not be linked to any information you share with us. We will protect your data, and only the study team will see it.
Who do I call if I have more questions about the study?
If you need to update your contact information, have scheduling questions, have questions about your gift cards, or if you have general questions about the study, please call 877-231-7817 or email WBS@air.org.
