MISSION HILLS (Jan. 26, 2023) -- Nearly one-third of the most fragile babies born at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center are transferred to neonatal intensive care units at other hospitals because the NICU often reaches capacity.
Their mothers, still recovering, remain at Providence Holy Cross, missing those precious moments with their newborns.
Thankfully, that will change in the spring when the expanded NICU is due to open at the busy Mission Hills hospital. Getting this crucially important project to the finish line got a much-needed boost of $750,000 in federal funding secured last month by U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas and approved by President Biden in this year’s government funding bill.
“I’m happy to have contributed to the completion of the NICU expansion by securing $750,000 in Community Project Funding for Providence Holy Cross Medical Center,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “Some of my most important work in Congress is ensuring that organizations that help our community get the funding they need.”
The Congressman called this project “The Keeping Families Together NICU Expansion.”
“Providence Holy Cross extends its deepest gratitude to Congressman Cárdenas for his commitment to our community and these most vulnerable families,” said Bernard Klein, M.D., the hospital’s chief executive. “We are thrilled the expanded NICU will open soon and enable us to keep our babies close to their parents.”
The newly expanded NICU will have six additional cribs for a total of 18, a new cooling system to lower the temperature of a baby after a traumatic labor experience and secure private cameras at each bed so loved ones can watch these tiny patients from home, said Bev Holland, DNP, RN, the hospital’s executive director of Maternal Child Health.
“Thanks to this gift and others, we’ll be able to keep our babies here in our community rather than separating mom and baby,” said Holland, who has seen babies born at less than one pound survive and thrive. “Our community is growing, and we want to be able to meet the needs with the highest quality of care for our littlest patients.”
###
About Providence Southern California
Providence Southern California is Southern California’s largest health system with 11 hospitals, more than 100 clinics, outpatient centers, TrinityCare Hospice and its TrinityKids Care pediatric hospice, Providence High School, home health care services, eight wellness centers, telehealth and numerous physician groups in its Southern California Region. Providence is committed to an enduring mission of outreach to the poor and vulnerable, and last year contributed $608 million in services, programs and charity care to those in need.
