Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
110 E. Line Street Suite 300 Tyler, Texas 75702 (Project Address) Project Director: Beth Langley Voice: 903-531-2103/Fax: 903-531-2101 bl2493@bcfs.net www.discoverbcfs.net All grant program funds requested in the application: Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health Overview: The BCFS Healthy Start Program addresses health disparities in Smith County, Texas, by providing a suite of services designed to enhance maternal and child health outcomes. We give particular attention to mental health services, recognizing the importance of maternal mental health in improving birth outcomes. By integrating mental health services into our initiative, we address the multifaceted needs of the African American community in Smith County. Our program prioritizes case management and care coordination for all maternal and child health needs. We stress education, outreach, and recruitment, offering group-based education to promote healthy behaviors and care practices throughout the perinatal period. A community consortium will inform our approach, and we will increase access to perinatal mental health services by integrating these services in-house. Our in-house services will provide mental health support to pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, targeting conditions such as depression and other mental health disorders that contribute to pregnancy-related deaths. Target Population: The BCFS Healthy Start program is dedicated to serving the African American population in Smith County, a group experiencing higher-than-average preterm birth rates. Between 2019 and 2021, the preterm birth rate was 16.9%, with an IMR of 9.5 per 1,000 for African Americans. Our evidence-based strategies include in-house mental health services, case management, care coordination, and community education initiatives, all designed to improve health outcomes among African American women and children. Objectives (5-Year Period): Our objectives und erscore our commitment to enhancing public health and addressing health disparities within our target population. We aim to ensure 80% of pregnant Healthy Start participants obtain prenatal care in the first trimester, 80% receive a postpartum visit, and 80% have an annual well-woman or preventive visit. We also aim for 80% of participants to follow safe sleep practices, to increase breastfeeding rates, to achieve 90% tobacco abstinence among pregnant participants, and to have 90% of child participants receive age-appropriate well-child visits. We also plan to increase screenings for depression and interpersonal violence among female participants to 90%, ensuring 95% receive in-house mental health support or a referral if screened positive. Key Approaches: Our approach includes a comprehensive suite of services tailored to resonate with the African American population in Smith County. These services include case management, care coordination, transportation, health education, insurance navigation, and in-house mental health support. Our strategy centers on empowerment, nurturing a sustainable environment where health equity is not only promoted but where the wellbeing of mothers and infants takes precedence. As we seek to continue and expand our efforts, our goal is to capitalize on this progress, leveraging the community's strengths to achieve even greater advancements in perinatal health outcomes and reduced infant mortality rates.
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).
