Planning for Healthy Babies provides no-cost family planning services to eligible women in Georgia, and on May 17 from 3-5 p.m., the Decatur County Health Department will dedicate its resources to signing up qualified county residents.

“We will be providing light refreshments and door prizes during the event,” said County Nurse Manager Peggy Colman. “Please bring your I.D. and we will assist you with your application. It is easy, convenient and free.”

Women can be enrolled in one of the following Planning for Healthy Babies services:

Family Planning (FP) only

Inter-Pregnancy Care (IPC), which includes Family Planning, Case Management  (CM) and a Resource Mother (RM)

Resource Mother Outreach, which is only for current Medicaid recipients

Colman said the following women meet eligibility requirements for the services:

Women ages 18 through 44 who meet the monthly family Modified Adjusted Gross Income Budget criteria.

Women who do not receive Medicaid (eligible for family planning services)

Women who give birth to a baby weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces and do not receive Medicaid or Medicare, or are losing Medicaid coverage are eligible for Inter-Pregnancy Care services.

Women who receive Medicaid and give birth to a baby less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces are only eligible for case management and a Resource Mother.

The Health Department is located at 928 West Street in Bainbridge. For more information about the Planning for Healthy Babies sign-up event, please call 229-248-3055.