Thursday, October 10, 2024
10/10/2024
The Clayton County Health District – the county’s health department – proposes to establish the Clayton County Perinatal and Family Initiative (CCPFI) as an innovative model for integrating community-based maternal support services (COMSS) into a comprehensive perinatal system of care to improve pregnant and post-partum health outcomes and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in Clayton County. The principal collaborative partners include Morehouse School of Medicine, Clayton County Community Service Authority, Southern Regional Medical Center, and Odyssey Counseling Center. A partial list of other partners includes the Clayton Collaborative Authority, Clayton County Housing Authority, Clayton County Network Coalition, Southside Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, United Way of Clayton County, community and faith-based organizations, and Clayton County UGA Cooperative Extension. Clayton County is the sixth most populated county in Georgia and a suburb of Atlanta. Clayton County’s overall health outcomes reflect the state’s less-than-optimal health rankings. Clayton County has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the state. Babies are born too soon or too small, meaning they are less likely to make it to their first birthday. The main issue this project seeks to resolve is service gaps in the county’s perinatal system of care. There exists a severe lack of perinatal resources available in Clayton County. Although Clayton County is considered a suburb of Atlanta, it functions as a rural county in many ways. For instance, there is only one hospital. As a result, many residents travel significant distances to receive medical care in neighboring counties. In addition, there are only four clinics in the county that provide perinatal services for participants without insurance. There are limited options for mental health and substance abuse services, and they are difficult to access. According to the US Census Bureau, the 2022 total population for Clayton County is 296,564 with 73.4% Black, 13.5% Hispanic, and 8.4% White. Thus, 87% of the residents of Clayton County are African American and Hispanic. Research shows that at-risk communities face greater challenges dealing with and overcoming preventable conditions based on socioeconomic factors, race/minority, and lack of access to quality health care - all of which are often impacted by poverty level, unemployment, and lack of health insurance. Clayton County, due to its high African American and Hispanic populations, is disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions. These adverse health conditions are also reflected in our perinatal statistics. Our goal is to reduce maternal and child health disparities among Black and Hispanic populations in Clayton County through innovative approaches that include a “one-stop shop” for perinatal services, the use of tele-mentoring, and the development of a replicate perinatal system of care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
