Pediatric Interim Care Center The Newborn Nursery

With each infant, it is PICC’s goal to provide a safe and healthy start in life and to improve long-term outcomes through early intervention. Specific goals in the care of each infant are as follows:
1. Safely and comfortably wean the infant from drug-dependency.
2. Establish a healthy weight gain.
3. Facilitate family bonding and train caregivers to respond to ongoing needs.
4. Assure that the infant continues to thrive in a home environment.
It is also PICC’s goal to provide substantial savings to the state healthcare system by providing a safe, low-cost alternative to hospital care for drug-affected and medically fragile newborns.

The design of PICC's program provides for medical oversight by the center's Medical Director, a board-certified Pediatrician who establishes medical protocols, examines every baby soon after admission, prescribes medications, makes regular rounds, and is on-call for emergencies and consultation. The Nursing Director oversees the daily operation of the nursery, with an R.N. on duty at all times to give medications, do assessments, and perform all medical care. Daily infant care (feeding, changing, and bathing) is performed by nurses' aides who are trained and mentored in-house to provide therapeutic care specific to drug-exposed infants. Volunteers assist the nursing staff with household chores, laundry, and rocking babies. The center is administered by Barbara Drennen, its co-founder and Executive Director, and overseen by its Board of Directors. From the beginning, PICC's financial sustainability has relied on combination of private and public, with its strategic plans increasing the percentage of private funding over the years. In its early years, PICC's contract with the State of Washington provided about 90% of its budget. Today PICC's state contract provides 45% of the funding needed for operations. PICC has also strategically planned to diversify its funding base by increasing the number of donors through recruiting-oriented special events, establishment of the planned giving program, expanded grantmaking, and use of social media.

Pediatric Interim Care Center has a highly experienced and dedicated staff led by its Co-Founder and Executive Director Barbara Drennen. It has a committed Board of Directors with access to the experience and knowledge of an Emeritus Board of outstanding former Board members. PICC's facility in Kent, which was completed in 2006, was designed specifically for the needs of PICC's unique program and combines the security and functionality of a medical facility with the soothing environment of a homelike nursery. An estate gift in 2018 allowed us to complete the payment of the building, securing it for generations of drug-exposed infants to come.

Over its 28 years of operation, PICC has successfully weaned more than 3,000 babies from their drug-dependency and given each and every one of them a safe and healthy start in life, while saving the state millions of dollars each year by providing a cost-effective alternative to hospital care. PICC has received national attention and is frequently called upon for information to replicate its model program. PICC has received honors from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Washington State Legislature, and the U.S. Congress. Beginning in January 2019, PICC will be the first Pediatric Transitional Center licensed in the State of Washington under a new licensure created by the legislature within the Department of Health.