H4952998

Healthy Start Initiative-Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities - Project Title: Georgia Strong Families Program (GSFP)
Address: 55 Park Place Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Project Director Name: Twanna Nelson
Contact Phone Number: 4044130301
Email Address: tnelson45@gsu.edu
Website Address: https://ghpc.gsu.edu/
Grant Funds Requested: $1,100,000 annually

Population Served: The GSFP target population is Black women of childbearing age (14-51) residing in the project area. This population has been determined to have the highest infant and maternal mortality rates thereby needing the support of Healthy Start.

Challenge (Needs Addressed)
The Healthy Start funding will provide Georgia with an opportunity to further strengthen the system of care for families and expand services. Georgia continues to need layered early intervention and prevention services to address adverse health outcomes. Georgia is seen at the top of many lists, including Forbes’ 2023 Worst States for Healthcare list, which compiles twenty-four metrics spanning four key categories: health access, healthcare outcomes, healthcare cost, and quality of hospital care.

More specifically the 3-year IMR (2019-2021) for the target population in the eight counties is 12.5 (compared to 5.9 for White women in the same region), the 3-year preterm birth rate is 17.8 (compared to 12.2 for White women), and the 3-year low birthweight rate is 17.8 (compared to 12.2 for White women). This eight-county region is served by two hospitals with obstetric care, two rural health clinics, and has an OB-GYN provider rate of 7.7, with half of the counties not having any OB-GYN providers within the county.

Methodology (Proposed Services):
The goal of the GSFP is to improve child and family outcomes by implementing strategies within a community-based public health maternal and early childhood system. GSFP is designed to 1) improve coordination of services for children and families at the state and local levels; and 2) provide comprehensive services to improve outcomes for children and families who reside in Crisp, Clay, Dooly, Muscogee, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, and Taylor counties.

The project area is comprised of mostly rural counties. Funding supports the implementation of GSFP which targets the needs of expectant parents, children aged from birth to 18 months, and their families. The system functions include identification, referral, screening, parent education, and linkage to appropriate community services. This requires strong collaborations between community agencies serving children and families, which the GSFP has historically been successful through its established community consortium.

One major service strategy for this system is the use of the Partners for Healthy Babies home-visiting model. The GSFP will provide both virtual and in-person visits to ensure families are supported before, during, and after pregnancy. The GSFP will also provide enhanced services to the target population through a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and provisions for doulas services. The NP will provide home visits, and education to families and staff on warning signs along with an emphasis on encouraging postpartum follow-up and care.

Mothers enrolled will have access to doula services during pregnancy, for support during childbirth and up to 3 months postpartum. GSFP will be intentional about incorporating mental/behavioral health as a key strategy to improving both physical and mental well-being. The GSFP will address mental and behavioral health challenges in the father, mother, and infants to ensure a higher quality of life.

Implementation also includes the development of a cohesive plan to promote program quality and effectiveness, as well as a coordinated data system to guide decision-making and assist counties in monitoring progress toward desired results and continuous quality improvement.

Georgia State University Research Foundation

NOT APPLICABLE

93.926 - Healthy Start Initiative

HRSA Office of Federal Assistance Management (OFAM) [HHS - HRSA]

Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) [HHS - HRSA]

Atlanta, Georgia United States

City-Wide

Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health (HRSA-24-033)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 218% from $1,008,333 to $3,208,333.