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Level I Maternal and Neonatal Center Designations Application Information
Level I Maternal and Neonatal Center Designations Application Information
Hospitals seeking a designation as a Level 1 Maternal Center should contact The Joint Commission Maternal Verification Program at, The Joint Commission.
Level I hospitals seeking designation as a Neonatal Center should contact
[email protected] The AAP does not survey Level I Neonatal Centers.Fees
There is no fee for Level I hospitals seeking designation. DPH covers the on-site survey and three year annual fee from The Joint Commission.
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Level II, Level III, and Level IV Maternal Center Designation Application Information
Level II, Level III, and Level IV Maternal Center Designation Application Information
Hospitals seeking designation as a Level II, Level III, or Level IV Maternal Center will apply to The Joint Commission (TJC) Maternal Verification Program. Hospitals will submit a preliminary application (The Joint Commission), complete a Pre-Review Questionnaire, and host a multidisciplinary team for a site survey. Within 90 days of the site survey, hospitals will submit an application to DPH, which must include the site survey report. DPH will issue the final determination.
Fees
There is no fee for Level II, III, or IV hospitals seeking designation. DPH covers the on-site survey and three-year annual fee from The Joint Commission.
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Level II, Level III, and Level IV Neonatal Center Designation Application Information
Level II, Level III, and Level IV Neonatal Center Designation Application Information
Hospitals seeking designation as a Level II, Level III, or Level IV 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. Within 90 days of the site survey, hospitals will submit an application to DPH, which must include the site survey report. DPH will issue the final determination.
Fees
There is no fee for Level II, III, or IV hospitals seeking designation. DPH covers the on-site survey and three-year annual fee from The American Academy of Pediatrics.
Maternal and Neonatal Center Designation
The Department of Community Health (DCH) provides hospitals with a Certificate of Need (CON) to provide Level I, II, or III perinatal services. The criteria for each level of care are defined by DCH. Hospitals apply for a CON when they open a perinatal service and if they want to be approved for a higher level of care. Hospitals demonstrate in the application process that they can provide that level of care.
The Department of Public Health (DPH) verifies that hospitals have the capability to provide Level I, II, III, or IV neonatal and maternal services. DPH will not verify a hospital at a higher level of care than they are authorized to provide through CON. Hospital participation in the DPH verification process is voluntary.
For neonatal verification, the criteria for each level of care are based on the current American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) national standards. Hospitals seeking neonatal verification through DPH complete a site survey led by AAP every three years.
For maternal verification, the criteria for each level of care are based on the current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) national standards. Hospitals seeking maternal verification through DPH complete a site survey led by The Joint Commission every three years.
Levels of Care
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.
DPH requirements for each level of care are listed in Georgia Rules and Regulations 511-5-13. These levels are based on publications from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and guidelines (2023) from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
The Georgia Department of Public Health, The Joint Commission (TJC), the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics now have a collaborative initiative to help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity along with improving outcomes for high-risk newborns.
Application Information:
Facilities:
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Designated Maternal Facilities
Level I Maternal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Archbold Grady Hospital 1155 5th Street SE Cairo, GA 39828 Expires 7/15/2028 Coffee Regional Medical Center 1101 Ocilla Road Douglas, GA 31534 Expires 12/15/2026 Saint Francis Hospital Emory 2122 Manchester Expressway Columbus GA. 31904 Expires 12/12/2026 Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica 601 Dallas Highway Villa Rica, GA 30180 Expires 6/5/2027 Union General Hospital 35 Hospital Road Blairsville, GA 30512 Expires 3/20/2028 Level II Maternal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Archbold Memorial Hospital Gordon Avenue at Mimosa Drive Thomasville, GA 31792 Expires 10/03/2026 Colquitt Regional Medical Center 3131 South Main Street Moultrie, GA 31768 Expires 10/04/2026 Crisp Regional Hospital 902 North 7th Street Cordele, GA 31015 Expires 10/20/2026 Tift Regional Medical Center 901 East 18th Street Tifton, GA 31794 Expires 3/11/2028 Upson Regional Medical Center 801 W Gordon St. Thomaston, GA 30286 Expires 12/11/2026 Wellstar Douglas Hospital 8954 Hospital Drive Douglasville, GA 30134 Expires 3/7/2028 Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center 3000 Hospital Boulevard Roswell, GA 30076 Expires 6/11/2028 Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital 601 S 8th St Griffin, GA 30224 Expires 3/6/2028 Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center 1514 Vernon Road LaGrange GA 30240 Expires 2/28/2028 Level III Maternal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Northside Hospital Cherokee 450 Northside Cherokee Boulevard Canton, GA 30115 Expires 07/25/2026 Northside Hospital-Forsyth 1200 Northside Forsyth Drive Cumming, GA 30041 Expires 5/23/2027 Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital 417 W 3rd Ave Albany, GA 31701 Expires 2/4/2028 Wellstar Cobb Medical Center 3950 Austell Rd. SW Austell, GA 31534 Expires 03/22/2027 Level IV Maternal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Grady Memorial Hospital 80 Jesse Hill, Jr., Drive, S.E. Atlanta, GA. 30303 Expires 03/07/2027 Northside Hospital 1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE Atlanta, GA 30342 Expires 9/5/2028 Piedmont Atlanta Hospital 1968 Peachtree Road NW Atlanta, GA 30309 Expires 12/6/2027 Wellstar MCG Health 1120 15th St. Augusta, GA 30912 Expires 08/17/2026 -
Designated Neonatal Facilities
Level II Neonatal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Northeast Georgia Medical Center-Braselton 1400 River Place Braselton, GA 30517 Expires 2/10/2029 Level III Neonatal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Emory University Hospital Midtown 550 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30308 Expires 5/28/2028 Northeast Georgia Medical Center-Gainesville 743 Spring Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 Expires 8/19/2028 Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital 417 W 3rd Ave Albany, GA 31701 Expires 1/29/2028 Piedmont Columbus Regional-Midtown 710 Center Street Columbus, GA 31901 Expires 11/19/2027 Level IV Neonatal Facilities
Hospital Street Address City, State and Zip Code Expiration Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - Arthur M. Blank Hospital 2220 N Druid Hills Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30329 Expires 9/14/2026 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite Hospital 1001 Johnson Ferry Road NE Atlanta, GA 30342 Expires 8/26/2028 Memorial Health University Medical Center 4700 Waters Avenue Savannah, GA 31404 Expires 10/28/2028
Questions? Contact [email protected] in the Maternal/Neonatal Designation Program
- Georgia NICU Verification Program and AAP Standards Review 2023
- Maternal and Neonatal Designation Program FAQs
- AAP NICU Verification Program Webinar with Q&A
- Maternal Levels of Care Webinar Part 1
- Maternal Levels of Care Webinar Part 2
- Designation of Perinatal Centers Rule 511-5-13
- Maternal Health Letter of Engagement
Page last updated 4/2/26