Caring for the Smallest Victims of Drug Abuse

To see more images of our facility click here.


Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) is the nation's first interim care nursery for drug-exposed and medically fragile newborns.
Founded in 1990, PICC's model program has given thousands of infants a safe and healthy start in life.


About Us

PICC, located in Kent, Washington - 20 miles south of Seattle - provides 24-hour medical monitoring and nursing care to fill the gap between hospital and home for infants recovering from prenatal drug exposures or other medical difficulties. PICC's pioneering program also facilitates visitation for families, provides caregiver training, follows babies after they leave and offers a range of community outreach and education services. As our community confronts a crisis of addiction to opiods and other drugs, PICC is the only center providing transitional care for prenatally exposed infants throughout Washington State.


History

In the 1980s, America was in the throes of a cocaine epidemic. Its tiniest victims, often premature and medically fragile newborns, flooded neonatal intensive care units and overwhelmed a foster care system ill-prepared to deal with such fragile infants. During this time, Barbara Drennen specialized in the care of premature newborns in her home in Kent, Washington. As increasing numbers of cocaine-exposed infants were placed with her, she developed therapeutic techniques to safeguard drug-affected infants through the difficult period of withdrawal. Hospitals began asking Drennen to design a center formalizing the kind of care she was providing in her home. In response, with the help of a friend, they created an interim care program to fill the gap between hospital and home to protect these fragile neonates. Thus was born the Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) in Kent. PICC (pronounced “pick”) was the first, and for many years, the only stand-alone newborn nursery specializing in bringing drug-affected infants through withdrawal. Barbara Drennen  continues to lead PICC as Executive Director. Over the years, she has managed the care of more than 3,400 drug-affected newborns through their difficult first weeks. She has trained thousands of caregivers, medical professionals, and others in the recognition and medical management of drug-affected infants. She often consults with others hoping to start similar centers across the country and around the world and is a leading voice in the fight to protect the littlest victims of drugs.


Mission

The Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) provides immediate, short-term medical care between hospital and home for medically fragile infants suffering from prenatal drug exposure at a savings to the taxpayers of Washington State. PICC also provides educational and support services to the community in the recognition and management of substance abused infants

Mission Objectives

-Provide care by a qualified nursing staff under the direction of pediatric medical directors.
-Offer a format of withdrawal that combines high quality medical management with therapeutic handling in a homelike atmosphere.
-Train and support families in the care of infants to help ensure long-term success.
-Coordinate with the health community and government agencies in evaluating the incidence, treatment, and long-term follow-up of high risk infants.
-Use private donations, grants and volunteers to offer our state and local communities a low-cost alternative to traditional hospital care.
-Maintain an awareness program to inform the community about the dangers of drug abuse during pregnancy and the implications of caring for medically fragile infants.
-Be a strong advocate for the children

Values
•Professional •Respectful •Non-judgmental •Confidential •Nurturing •Diverse


Leadership

Barbara Drennen

Barbara J. Drennen, Co-Founder and Executive Director

Chief Executive Officer and Administrator

Barbara came to this mission in the late 1980s as a provider of in-home care for medically fragile infants in the state foster care system. She heads the nation’s only newborn nursery dedicated to specialized 24-hour care of the littlest victims of drug abuse. Her honors include the national Jefferson Award for Public Service.



Dr. Gaunt

Peyton Gaunt, M.D., F.A.A.P., Medical Director

Chief Medical Officer; Pediatrician

Dr. Gaunt is Board Certified in Pediatrics and began private practice in 1977. He served for three years as Chief of Pediatrics at Valley Medical Center and received the Distinguished Service Award by the Washington Chapter of Pediatrics.



Elaine Purchase

Elaine Purchase, Development Director

Grant Writer, Special events coordinator, fundraiser.

A Peabody Award-winning television producer (KOMO and KCTS TV) Elaine became PICC's grant writer in 2003 and full time Development Director with the launching of the Capital Campaign for PICC's new bulding in 2004.



Board of Directors

Eric Dever, President, President
Tukwila Police Commander

Joined Board 2011


Monica Ochs, Vice President
Registered Nurse
Joined Board 2015.

Lynn (Marjorie L.) Norman, Secretary
Retired Administrative Director Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound,
Joined Board 2009

Kenneth G. Bussey, Treasurer
CPA, Rhodes & Associates, Federal Way
Joined Board 2005

John C. Hall
Director of Sales, Western U.S. & Canada, Esterline Engineered Materials
Joined Board 2006

Ruby Hill
Boeing Co., Retired
Joined Board 2017.

Betsy Halberg 
Office Manager
Joined Board 2018.

Karen Wickstrom
Reired
Joined Board 2018,

Emeritus Board

Emeritus Logo
Harry H. Hansen
Dr. Wilma Hepker
Kenneth Kilbreath
Thomas Leonard
Dr. Cathy Jo Linn
Dennis O’Block
Hal R. Russell
Nancy Tyrie
Jane Rhodes