H4953017

Healthy Start Initiative-Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities - Address: 3530 Camino Del Rio North, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92108. Project Director: Mary Polley. Phone: 619-282-8211. Fax: 619-282-1300. Email: mpolley@voasw.org. Website: www.voasw.org.

Funds requested: $5,499,044. Volunteers of America Southwest California (VOASW) is proposing a Healthy Start (HS) project in Imperial and San Diego counties to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy and reduce the well-documented racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes. Through the provision of a continuum of services, the HS project will contribute toward reducing infant mortality and decreasing disparities in infant mortality and poor perinatal health outcomes.

VOASW will provide case management/care coordination and group-based health and parenting education to individuals/families in Imperial/San Diego counties, with Black women in San Diego County as the target population. VOASW will also provide direct/enabling services to low-income and Medi-Cal individuals/families in Imperial/San Diego counties, specifically those most in need of services due to their marginalized identities (e.g., race/ethnicity, citizenship status, language, sexuality, gender identity, homelessness status) contributing to health disparities.

From 2019-2021, there were 6,211 live births and 55 infant deaths among the target population, with a three-year infant mortality rate of 8.86 deaths per 1,000 live births. Additionally, Black women in San Diego County experience the highest rates of hypertension, chronic hypertension, and asthma at delivery of any racial/ethnic group and have lower rates of both early and adequate prenatal care, when compared to White women.

This population also has the highest rates of severe maternal morbidity (at a rate of 123.3 events per 10,000) and reported the highest rates prenatal depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic group. VOASW will build upon its existing Enhanced Care Management Program, which provides supportive, wraparound services for Medi-Cal members to reduce readmission, recidivism, and relapse and strengthen successful outcomes for individuals/families and targets services toward people with the highest demonstrated need.

Participants will also be identified through partner referrals, California’s 2-1-1 directory, and via outreach and presentations to hospitals, community-based clinics, regional centers, schools, preschools, Head Start/Early Head Start programs, and other family-serving programs. HS care managers will provide family-centered, strengths-based case management/care coordination, ensuring participant healthcare/wellness needs are addressed and met by linking participants with a robust network of community partners.

HS parent group educators will facilitate group-based health and parenting education to participants, rooted in evidence-based models and resources, including Moms2B, Program P, ACLS Training Center’s Pediatric Health and Safety Guide, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Positive Parenting Tip Sheets. The HS health coordinator/nurse practitioner will provide prenatal/preventative health services to participants and provide group-based health and parenting education.

VOASW will seek to retain enrolled participants for up to 18 months postpartum and will assist participants with identified needs to reduce barriers to participating in HS services, including offering telehealth services, transportation assistance, and childcare referrals. VOASW will also convene a community consortium, facilitated by the Community Consortium Coordinator, to address pressing issues and needs leading to poor perinatal health outcomes in Imperial/San Diego counties.

Meeting at least quarterly, the consortium will develop a community plan, based on the results of a thorough community needs assessment/environmental scan, which will further inform the planning and implementation of all HS services.

Southwest California, In Volunteers Of America

NOT APPLICABLE

93.926 - Healthy Start Initiative

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

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

San Diego, California 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 $1,008,049 to $3,207,673.