Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC)

The Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative is an initiative of the Bureau of Family Health and an authorized activity of the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality. The Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative is a network of perinatal care providers, public health professionals, and advocates who work to improve outcomes for women, families, and newborns in Louisiana and serves a vital role in supporting birthing facilities across the state in implementing evidence-based best practices that promote safe, patient-centered, and dignified birth.

For questions, contact the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative at lapqc@la.gov. 

LaPQC Priorities

The Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative leads initiatives to improve perinatal and neonatal outcomes by supporting continuous quality improvement. This partnership aligns with the Bureau of Family Health’s vision to make Louisiana a place where all people are valued to reach their full potential, from birth through the next generation. Program staff are working on the following initiatives during the 2023-2024 state fiscal year:

 Learn more about these programs using the links below:

  • The Gift supports breastfeeding and infant feeding outcomes.

  • The Safe Births Initiative (SBI) supports transitions of care to the postpartum period and improving care for the substance-exposed dyad, while creating sustained improvement in obstetric hemorrhage, hypertension, obstetric sepsis, and reducing low-risk Cesarean delivery births.

  • Caregiver Perinatal Depression Screening in Pediatric Practices supports screening and referral pathways for caregivers impacted by postpartum depression.

  • Obstetric Readiness in Emergency Departments (ORED) supports improving obstetric readiness in emergency departments.

  • The Community Birth Initiative (CBI), in partnership with the state’s freestanding birth centers, supports establishing policies, protocols, and procedures related to readiness, recognition, and response to obstetric postpartum hemorrhage and neonatal emergencies.

Louisiana Birth Ready Designation

In an effort to recognize participating LaPQC facilities and create a system of sustained, evidence-based change, the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative now offers the Louisiana Birth Ready Designation. With two tiers of achievement – Louisiana Birth Ready and Louisiana Birth Ready+ – the Designation recognizes facilities' consistent, thoughtful healthcare improvement work. Birth Ready Designation also celebrates improved perinatal health outcomes, the result of implementing clinical practices that promote safe, patient-centered, and dignified birth for all birthing persons in Louisiana.

Click here to view the list of Louisiana hospitals that have achieved the Birth Ready or Birth Ready+ Designation.

The Gift Designation

To recognize participating facilities and create a system of sustained, evidence-based change, The Gift also provides recognition through Gift designation. With two tiers of achievement – Gift and Gift+ – this designation recognizes birthing facilities that demonstrate consistent health care delivery and quality improvement work to improve the rates of breastfeeding. Gift designation also celebrates improved perinatal and neonatal health outcomes related to breastfeeding, the result of implementing safe and equitable internationally recognized best practices to improve breastfeeding outcomes.

Click here to view the list of Louisiana hospitals that have achieved the Gift or Gift+ Designation.

Law Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act

The PUMP Act is a law that makes several important changes and closes loopholes in the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, which has required since 2010 that employers nationwide provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for lactating employees to pump milk during the workday

Under the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, as updated by the PUMP Act, employers of ALL sizes are required to provide a reasonable amount of break time and a clean, private space for lactating workers to express milk for up to one year following the birth of the employee’s child. The pumping space cannot be a bathroom.

The PUMP Act:

  • Expands the legal right to receive pumping breaks and private space to nearly 9 million more workers, including teachers, registered nurses, farmworkers, and many others.

  • Makes it possible for an employee to file a lawsuit against an employer that violates the law.

  • Clarifies that pumping time counts as time worked when calculating minimum wage and overtime if an employee is not completely relieved from their work duties during the pumping break.

  • Clarifies that employers with fewer than 50 employees must provide break time and space.

Please download the document below, which provides more detail on the PUMP Act, the available protections, resources if an employer does not comply, and information on what the Louisiana Dept. of Health (LDH), Office of Public Health (OPH), and Bureau of Family Health (BFH) are doing to support lactating employees.

Additional Resources on the PUMP Act: 

Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative Reports

Helpful Links

  • Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM): This national data-driven maternal safety and quality improvement initiative is based on proven implementation approaches to improving maternal safety and outcomes in the U.S. 

  • Data Center: Find and download the Bureau of Family Health's data products, such as LaPQC reports and fact sheets.

  • Perinatal Mental Health Resources to Share with Families: Find information to share with families about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including the symptoms, treatment, and available resources.

  • Louisiana Perinatal Commission: This commission was established to research and review all state regulations, guidelines, policies, and procedures that impact perinatal care.

  • Louisiana Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR): PAMR works to quantify and understand pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths in order to create actionable, comprehensive recommendations to prevent future deaths.

  • Mortality Surveillance: Our statewide Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coordinators and mortality review teams work statewide to reduce and prevent maternal, infant, and child morbidity.

  • What is a PQC?: This video from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) describes perinatal quality collaboratives (PQCs) and their role in improving health outcomes.

Contact Info and Staff

If you’d like more information or are interested in collaborating with the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative, email LaPQC@la.gov or visit lapqc.org.

Amy Zapata, MPH

Director, Bureau of Family Health and Co-Director, LaPQC

Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD, MAS, FACOG

Medical Director, Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review and Co-Director, LaPQC

Kerrie Redmond, BSN, RCN-OB

Quality Improvement Advisor, LaPQC 

Marci Brewer, MPH

Perinatal Quality Program Manager, LaPQC 



Surgeon General Ralph L. Abraham, M.D.

Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein

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