Sunday, May 5, 2024
5/5/2024
Led by the Boston Public Health Commission (the city’s health department), the overarching purpose of the Boston Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Project is to strengthen systems of perinatal care that support women and families of color through the birthing process. We will do this by connecting mothers (and some fathers) to birthing support through doula/home visitor dyads, training community members as doulas and educating providers and the community about the benefit of doula services. By embedding the project in an established network of maternal and infant services which are on BIPOC residents and incorporate five clinical partners, we seek to sustain project methods and results after OMH funding has ended. Key goals and objectives are: - Goal 1. ENGAGE: Increase systems of perinatal care that support underserved women and families through the birthing process, by engaging and connecting them to doulas and community health workers who provide team-based perinatal care. Annual objectives: (1). Create a 12 member, participant-centered, community advisory board (CAB) to oversee project. (2) Engage 100 women/fathers in the City of Boston in doula services through Healthy Start - Systems annually (3) Engage an additional 50 women/fathers through community health centers. - Goal 2. TRAIN: Increase the number of doulas from underserved populations (BIPOC, male, queer) and enhance the cultural humility and cultural responsiveness of the doula workforce. Annual objectives: (1) Train and certify 25 primarily BIPOC individuals as doulas (2) Through continuing education modules, train 50 currently practicing doulas annually on culturally responsive practices (from Year 2). - Goal 3. EDUCATE: Educate providers and the broader Boston community about the benefits of doula services and other culturally responsive strategies to support perinatal care. Project-period objectives: (1) Provide academic detailing on doula and home visiting services to 50% of primary care and ob/gyn practices in Boston (2) Reach over 10,000 Boston residents with media messages through birth equity media campaign Anticipated outcomes over the project period: (1) 50% increase in the number of families from Healthy Start Systems receiving culturally-responsive doula services. (2) 50% increase in the number of families from BMC/FQHCs receiving culturally-responsive doula services. (3). 25% increase in the number of practicing doulas from underrepresented populations in Boston as a result of program activities. (4) 30% increase in the percentage of clinical and social service providers aware of the availability and benefits of doula services in Boston between the baseline (year 1) and year 4 of the project, as determined by referrals for doula services. (5) 25% reduction in low birthweight disparities between Black and white infants in Boston. (6) 25% reduction in caesarean section rate disparities between Black and white birthing people in Boston.
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).
