‘Babies First' results show progress

The first community impact initiative undertaken by our United Way was focused on a then little-noted statistic regarding infant mortality. Nearly five years ago, as we began to gather and review data for our community, one of my past colleagues - Rev. Taylor Burton-Edwards - noted that the mortality rate for African American infants in our county was more than double the state rate.

Following the community impact model, he convened a group of local providers of health care services to pregnant women: Healthy Families at Saint John's, Community Hospital Women & Children, Anderson University School of Nursing, Madison County Community Health Center, Children's Bureau, Minority Health Coalition, Madison County Health Department, Purdue Extension, and local physicians Carol Clark and Jo Ann Ray. Together, this group formulated a plan that resulted in two successful grant submissions to the State of Indiana Department of Health.

United Way provided the required 20 percent matching funds as well as staff support to oversee the grant implementation, reporting and fiscal requirements. We filed our final report at the end of 2007, documenting a marked decrease in infant mortality for the targeted population. But that's not the whole story of success for a task that is ongoing.

In the first grant, the group completed a six month research project targeting women who gave birth who did not receive prenatal care until after the first trimester. This information helped the group target outreach efforts that included local cable television announcements, a billboard campaign and print materials. It also helped each provider better understand the needs and fears of the population they seek to serve.

In addition to the information efforts, a well established parent education program at Children's Bureau was funded to allow the hiring of an African American outreach worker. In addition, an abstinence-based education program was also offered in Anderson Community Schools, targeted at 9th grade students.

While it seems that our infant mortality disparity has been addressed, one infant death that could have been prevented is still too many. Ongoing efforts and continued outreach to teens, minorities and low income women in particular who may avoid seeking care are required and continue through the activities of these partners. Our experience as a group has allowed us to understand the big picture and the services that are offered locally in addition to our own. Our increased communication and common goals have benefited us far beyond the specific work of the Babies First initiative.