Maternal and Neonatal Center Designation Program
Levels of maternal and neonatal care provide guidelines that help ensure mothers and infants receive care in a facility that has the personnel and resources appropriate for their level of risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its most recent policy statement for levels of neonatal care in 2012. In 2019, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine released the latest version of the Obstetric Care Consensus (OCC) outlining guidelines for levels of maternal care.
All hospitals in Georgia offering labor and delivery services receive a certificate of need authorizing them to provide a level of perinatal care through the Georgia Department of Community Health. The Maternal and Neonatal Center Designation program is intended to verify that hospitals meet the requirements for the level of care they have been authorized to provide through the Certificate of Need program using a set of requirements that are closely aligned with the AAP policy statement and the OCC. The requirements for each level of care are listed in Georgia Rules and Regulations 511-5-13.
Level II and III Neonatal Center Designations Application Information
Hospitals seeking a designation as a Level II or Level III Neonatal Center will apply to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) NICU Verification Program. Hospitals will submit a preliminary application, complete a Pre-Review Questionnaire, and host a multidisciplinary team for a site survey. AAP will send a site survey report to the hospital and to DPH. At that point, DPH will only receive the site survey report for invoicing purposes and it will not be considered part of the application. Within 90 days of the site survey, hospitals will submit an application to DPH, which will include the site survey report. DPH will issue the final determination. An informational webinar for hospitals was hosted on March 10, 2020. Please email perinatal.designations@dph.ga.gov to access the recording.
Level II and III Maternal Center Designations Application Information
DPH is currently developing the application process. Hospitals will be notified when the application is open.
Level I Maternal and Neonatal Center Designations Application Information
DPH is currently developing the application process. Hospitals will be notified when the application is open.
Page last updated 3/19/2020