Laura,

Our health department serves Kankakee County, Illinois.  Population is
96,000.  We are about an hour and a half from the Chicago Loop ( longer
during rush hour!)

Our 24-hour answer line is staffed by 3 bf counselors from WIC and myself.
At this time we use a recorder (which is why we don't call it a hot line)
which we access frequently to pick up after office  hour calls, weekends,
holidays.  We consider this to just be a beginning step - we hope to advance
to a "warm body" answering service possibly staffed through trained
volunteer members of our community BF Advocacy Group.

We have brochures that go in breastfeeding packets at the hospitals, and are
now being given out at doctor's offices, that explain our services.  The
brochures discuss the answer line, consultations, classes, and support
group.  We've also had an article in a couple of local papers.

When we started the Advocacy Group (we're 6 months old) we sent letters to
everyone we could think of that might be interested, and then followed up
with phone calls.  Participants include both local hospitals, the prenatal
clinic and moms who have bf.  We kept sending reminder postcards and minutes
of the meetings, and making phone calls.  We are now targeting staff of all
the peds, obs, and family practice offices to send a representative to the
next meeting.  The excitement at the  meetings is contagious - the last
meeting was the best one yet!

Hope this answers your questions.

Pam Allyn, BSN, IBCLC
Eric F. Allyn at [log in to unmask]