Moms2B: Empowering Moms, Changing Communities
Abstract:
Imagine that instead of celebrating the birth of a new child, you are instead faced with whether or not to pay for transportation to your prenatal appointment or buying food. Imagine that you just started a job that does not offer insurance or maternity leave and now you are faced with pre-eclampsia and bed rest. At Moms2B, successful integration into the communities we serve and active, authentic engagement from our participants inform our understanding of their lived realities; and this equips us to advocate for them authentically. Our goal to reduce infant mortality in Columbus, particularly in poor neighborhoods, is a complex issue that combines health care, wellness, social determinants of health, access, racism, trauma and many other factors. Moms2B has committed to serving the pregnant and parenting women of Columbus in a way that meets them where they are and allows us to make meaningful connections to create change.
Description:
Our goal of reducing infant mortality in Columbus, particularly in underserved neighborhoods is a complex issue that combines health care, wellness, social determinants of health, access, racism, trauma and many other factors. Moms2B was founded in 2010 as a reaction to the high rates of infant mortality, defined as the death of a live-born infant in the first year of life. Especially disturbing was the rate of African American infants dying, at a rate two to three times higher than white infants. Moms2B began as a small nutrition program in the Weinland Park neighborhood. Since then, Moms2B has served more than 1,500 women and has expanded to eight high-risk Columbus neighborhoods. Over the years, the interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, child development specialists, dietitians and community health workers have created a teaching curriculum, case management system and an environment of social support by listening to the participants' needs, questions, fears, accomplishments and goals. All new staff, interns and volunteers with Moms2B quickly learn our two mantras. "CPR – be consistent, be predictable, be reliable" and "Meet our moms where they are." These two tenants have truly guided the program throughout seven years of growth and relate back to our roots of trauma-informed care. CPR speaks to our accessibility. Moms2B is easy to get to and find. Our sessions are consistently on the same day, same time and same place year after year. We work to break down barriers to participants by providing transportation, childcare and a hot meal. We are easily accessible by having no eligibility requirements other than pregnancy. Our moms rely on us to always treat them with care and respect. Most importantly, we are predictable in our ability to engage the moms and provide a fun, supportive environment. Moms2B has committed to serving the pregnant and parenting women of Columbus in a way that meets them where they are and allows us to make meaningful connections to create change. At Moms2B, successful integration into the communities we serve, and active, authentic engagement from our participants inform our understanding of their lived realities, and equips us to advocate for them authentically. Our moms' willingness to open their lives to us and share their struggles has allowed us to fight for them on larger advocacy issues. One of these issues is housing; 25 percent of Moms2B participants are either homeless or about to be homeless. Through the trust we have built with our moms, we have been able to advocate for special considerations in homeless shelters, partner on an innovative pilot program to house pregnant women and continue to be a part of larger conversations surrounding housing.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Jamie Sager, Site Manager, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, jamie.sager@osumc.edu (Corresponding Author); Tanikka Price, Community Health Educator, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Jamie Sager, Site Manager, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, jamie.sager@osumc.edu (Corresponding Author); Tanikka Price, Community Health Educator, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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