YWCA Healthy Birth Outcomes

Grantee: YWCA
Timeframe: July 2015 – June 2018 | Total Amount: $299,647.50

Year 1: July 2015 – June 2016. Amount: $95,260
Year 2: July 2016 – June 2017. Amount: $99,822
Year 3: July 2017 – June 2018. Amount: $104,565.50

The Healthy Birth Outcomes (HBO) project will address disparities in premature birth, low birth weight and infant death within the first year of life among women of color, women experiencing poverty, and women living in South King County. This is an expansion of a project currently based only in Seattle. Through this expansion, the YWCA will partner with UW Medicine/Valley Medical Center (VMC) and Public Health-Seattle & King County. VMC Women’s clinic in Auburn will be the initial referral site for HBO clients during the first quarter of the project. In the second quarter HBO will broaden its reach in South King County by receiving referrals from three additional VMC Women’s clinics– Renton, Kent, and Covington – which share OBGYNs and a clinic manager with Auburn Women’s Clinic.

HBO will support medically underserved pregnant and parenting women (throughout pregnancy up to their child’s first birthday), with a particular emphasis on women of color, by helping these women access the care they need during and after pregnancy. Services provided will include health care navigation, case management and health education; linkages to shorter term services offered by our partners and agencies in the community; and case conferencing, the coordination of services with collaborative partners serving the same clients.

During regular home visits, HBO Advocates meet one-on-one with clients to engage in health education discussions on topics such as pregnancy nutrition, childbirth, infant care and breastfeeding. The HBO service model uses trauma-informed care, meets clients where they are and supports them as they prioritize their needs.

In addition to specific health access barriers, many high risk pregnant women served by HBO also face other challenges such as homelessness, unemployment, domestic violence, and chemical dependency. Managing these life circumstances can impact a women’s ability to successfully access healthcare and can increase stress during pregnancy and parenting. To that end, HBO integrates health care with other services including YWCA housing and emergency shelter programs, domestic violence services, the Young Parent Program and a variety of Economic Empowerment programs.

Throughout the grant period, HBO activities will be ongoing. HBO Advocates will perform the following activities:

• Support clients with health care navigation, appointment preparation and transportation planning
• Educate clients about the role of different medical specialists
• Provide ongoing case management through regular one-on-one in-home meetings with clients
• Connect clients to community resources, including housing, mental health counseling and infant supplies (e.g. clothing, diapers and formula)
• Accompany clients to medical appointments and legal proceedings
• Educate clients about various health parenting topics including pregnancy nutrition, breastfeeding, infant care and physical transitions after pregnancy
• Emotionally support clients