UnitedHealthcare Community & State is working with the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) through UnitedHealthcare’s Community Collaborative Partnership Program to address family health needs across the U.S. This program aims to promote sustainable, community-centered solutions to reduce infant mortality and improve maternal and child health outcomes.
NICHQ is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of children and families by working with communities and local, state and federal agencies to develop programs that address complex health concerns.1 As part of this collaboration, UnitedHealthcare Community & State and NICHQ are working with organizations participating in the federal Healthy Start initiative to co-develop interventions that address differences in infant mortality and advance maternal and child health.
Four organizations are currently supported through this initiative. The Magnolia Project, an initiative of the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition, Inc., began its work in 2023, while three new organizations across the country will launch their programs in 2025. Each organization will receive up to $250K in first-year funding, with a commitment of up to three years to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce infant mortality, within their local communities. In addition to funding, UnitedHealthcare Community & State helps to facilitate the framework to co-develop and refine programs. NICHQ’s role in this collaboration is to provide content expertise in site selection and development of an intervention and evaluation approach.
The Florida program focuses on addressing upstream causes of maternal stress on Black women living in Jacksonville. The intervention supports women across the life course, along with local health and social care providers, through activities such as Community Circles on stress reduction, trainings on strategies to address maternal stress for social and health providers, community events to promote self-care and resilience and a local conference to promote discussions on toxic stress and community resilience. Currently, over 90% of participants are Black, and approximately 45% are between 25-34 years old.
Early findings from the program suggest improved maternal support systems and greater engagement with maternal health resources. Following these activities, nearly all (average of 95%) participants planned to make changes in their lives to better cope with stressors, and 86% of participants demonstrated knowledge of ways for women to advocate for themselves in the health care system.
UnitedHealthcare Community & State works with local organizations to help ensure individuals and families have access to comprehensive care. By working with local, trusted organizations, Medicaid managed care organizations can better address medical and social needs that impact entire communities. This collaborative model expands access to essential services and helps drive healthier outcomes, regardless of financial or geographic barriers.
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