In Missouri, we are committed to helping moms and babies live healthy lives. To improve outcomes, quality of life and strengthen the support we provide for these individuals, our clinical team is focused on:
- SIDS – Safe Sleep: According to March of Dimes, in 2018 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) accounted for 5.2% of all infant deaths in Missouri.1 Acknowledging the importance of safe sleep education, we launched a 2021 safe sleep initiative. As part of this initiative, all our case managers will complete their safe sleep certification by June 1, 2021. The case management team intends to educate all families with children under the age of one about safe sleep during outreach. Our team will also be partnering with organizations in two major metro areas to provide free pack n’ plays to families in need of safe sleep accommodations.
- Domestic violence: Missouri has the third-highest rate of people who have experienced domestic violence, with 41.8% of women reporting that they experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or stalking.2 We have identified a domestic violence assessment screener tool approved by the American Medical Association to help case managers screen all members as they come into care and as they see clinically necessary to identify members struggling with domestic violence, the desire to get to safety and available community resources.
- Additional support opportunities: We are evaluating additional opportunities to provide the moms and babies in our care with education and resources to minimize postpartum complications and preterm births. At this time, members are able to leverage Wellhop, a virtual pregnancy support group focused on bringing together moms at similar gestations in their pregnancies to share their stories, experiences and learn about baby, birthing and how to be in empowered in their care.
Expanding our reach
In addition to the support provided by our clinical team, our community outreach team travels statewide to build relationships with community health centers and organizations working every day to expand access to care and critical resources for new moms and their families. In 2020 and 2021 our outreach team will donate their time, resources and funding to:
- Preventive Health Screenings
- Baby Showers
- Healthy Kid’s Days
- Community Health Fairs
- And more
By working closely with local community-based organizations, we can better understand the barriers faced by the individuals we serve and help address the inequities driving poor health.
