Maternal
and Child Health
Coalition of Greater
Press Release
Contact: Cesar Motts FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
816.283-6242 Ext. 249 June 3, 2005
$1.5 Million on its Way to the
Healthy Start is a bi-state, home-visitation program that
seeks to improve the health of pregnant women and babies and decrease infant
mortality and racial disparities in health care in the
This multi-million dollar federal grant will allow the Maternal and Child Health Coalition to continue their efforts and expand the Kansas City Healthy Start Program. In addition to its public awareness effort and health training programs, the health initiative will:
¨ Expand efforts and pinpoint gaps to overcome racial/ethnic, social and economic barriers so more women and infants have access to prenatal and postnatal health care.
¨ Increase the number of pregnant and postpartum women screened and treated for depression.
¨ Focus on interconceptional care (care between pregnancies) with an emphasis on pregnancy prevention and child abuse prevention and enhance programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
¨ Coordinate and link existing prenatal and child health programs, focusing on improved case management.
¨ Provide additional training and education for new and expectant mothers, as well as professional providers in areas such as nutrition, parenting, family planning and smoking cessation.
¨ Strive to increase the childhood immunization rate.
“The Maternal and Child Health Coalition of Greater Kansas
City is very pleased to receive funding for the Kansas City Healthy Start
Project,” said Susan McLoughlin, Executive Director of Maternal and Child
Health Coalition of Greater
The Kansas City Healthy Start Program began in 1997 with a $7.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program targets inner-city neighborhoods, on both sides of the state line, where pregnant women and newborn infants face the greatest health risks plagued by drug use, high crime, physical deterioration, and a lack of adequate jobs.
During the last four years, Kansas City Healthy Start has had a significant impact on infant health in the targeted neighborhoods by:
¨ Providing services to over 1,400 mothers and their babies,
¨ Providing outreach education to over 6,400 persons in the community,
¨ Significantly increasing the number of women receiving prenatal care during their first trimester of pregnancy.
Kansas City Healthy Start has been a lifeline to hundreds of expectant mothers, infants and families in the urban core. Teams made up of outreach workers, family advocates and family support workers are working to get women into prenatal care as early in their pregnancy as possible. It involves earning the mother’s confidence, then offering resource information and guidance on such things as parenting, nutrition, relationships, housing and mental health services. The assistance can even include help with transportation and child care.
Barbara Wiman, chairperson of the Maternal and Child Health
Coalition said “The Coalition is looking forward to the continued success of
this partnership and reaching more women, children and families in the bi-state
community. We hope to strengthen the existing collaboration of community
partners over the next four years and involve even more consumers and businesses.”
She added, “The Coalition wants to promote a healthy start for all babies in greater
The Kansas City Healthy Start neighborhood sites will include:
¨
Children’s
¨
¨
The University of
¨
Project EAGLE in
The University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute of Human
Development assisted with the proposal development and will evaluate the impact
of Kansas City Healthy Start.
“Having been awarded this grant will allow the Healthy Start staff to continue to work directly in the community with moms, their babies, fathers, and families to ensure they have the resources and support needed to have and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Jean Craig, Healthy Start Project Director.
Maternal and
Child Health Coalition promotes the health of mothers and children through
community planning, education, advocacy and collaboration with organizations
addressing infant mortality, immunization, childhood obesity, and child safety. More
information about the Kansas City Healthy Start Program is available from Cesar
Motts at Maternal and Child Health Coalition, 6400 Prospect,
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