Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center Earns Baby-Friendly Re-Designation August 5, 2026 Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center’s Center for Women & Families has once again earned the prestigious Baby-Friendly® Hospital designation, a recognition that highlights the organization’s commitment to providing evidence-based, family-centered care for parents and newborns. Originally designated in 2021, Good Samaritan successfully maintained the rigorous standards required for re-designation, which extends through January 2032. The Baby-Friendly designation, awarded by Baby-Friendly USA, recognizes hospitals that demonstrate excellence in infant feeding education, support and care while ensuring families have the information needed to make informed decisions that are right for them. For Louisa Shelby, MSN, RN, lead for the Center for Women & Families, the achievement reflects years of dedication from teams across the organization. “Our team at the GSRMC prenatal clinics and Center for Women & Families worked diligently to maintain Baby-Friendly standards over the past five years and to remain educated on the standards and criteria,” Shelby said. “We passed with flying colors, which shows their dedication to providing evidence-based, nurturing care to our community.” Shelby noted that the designation benefits all families by ensuring equitable access to education and support regardless of language, culture or feeding choice. “Families are provided with the information and resources to be successful with feeding their baby human milk or formula in the safest, healthiest way possible for them,” she said. “Having information to make informed choices respects and empowers families.” The accomplishment was made possible through the support of a Public Health Modernization Grant secured through Partnerships for Community Health of Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, along with the work of an employee-led Baby-Friendly task force, dedicated providers, nurses and hospital leadership. “As one of only 20% of Baby-Friendly hospitals nationwide to earn re-designation without requiring corrective action, this accomplishment is a testament to the excellence, consistency and compassion demonstrated by our team every day,” said Jenni Copeland, nurse manager, “The Baby-Friendly designation has a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our community by ensuring that all families have equitable access to education, support and resources to make informed infant feeding decisions.” Out of the 437 Baby-Friendly facilities nationwide, Good Sam is only one of two recognized in the state of Oregon. Maintaining the designation helps ensure improved outcomes for parents and infants from pregnancy through the postpartum period. “Achieving Baby-Friendly re-designation is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the outstanding care our teams provide every day,” said Brandon Schmidgall, Good Sam hospital administrator. “This recognition underscores our commitment to supporting families with compassionate, evidence-based care and ensuring every parent has the knowledge and resources needed to give their child the healthiest possible start.” In its notification letter, Baby-Friendly USA commended Good Samaritan for maintaining practices consistent with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and for demonstrating a culture of continuous improvement. The designation places Good Sam among a select group of hospitals recognized for meeting the highest standards in maternal and infant care. “For us, this recognition is ultimately about the families we serve,” Shelby said. “Babies are our future and we are blessed to provide care on the journey families have when becoming new parents.”
