LAS CUMBRES BENEFITS FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH FUNDERS ALLIANCE HEALTH IMPACT GRANT AWARD
July 23, 2020 - Santa Fe, New Mexico
Las Cumbres Community Services’ (LCCS) ¡Que Cute! Healthy Baby Program (QCHB) has been awarded a three-year Health Impact Grant from the newly formed Community Health Funders Alliance (CHFA). The Alliance is composed of like-minded funding groups, and their respective Boards, representing members Anchorum St. Vincent, Christus St. Vincent, and the Santa Fe Community Foundation. The grant award’s partnership aims to positively impact the rate of babies born at a healthy birth weight and improve overall maternal health, by addressing risk factors. These risk factors often include: maternal smoking, substance use disorders, domestic violence, financial, housing and food insecurity, multiple births, mother’s age, maternal stress, diabetes, and even elevation. Any of these factors during gestation can impact the baby’s growth, increasing the risk for not only low birth weight, but premature birth, birth defects, neonatal abstinence syndrome, developmental delays, and the need for long-term multi-systemic support. QCHB support is available in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties.
“The resources spent at the front end to treat mothers-to-be will save years and resources spent in the future addressing outcomes from untreated pregnancies and babies,” explains Stacey Frymier, LCCS Interim Executive Director
In NM, the rate of babies born exposed to substances in-utero increased 324% between 2008 (3.3 per 1,000 live births) and 2017 (14.0/1,000), per a 2018 NM Department of Health Epidemiology Report. Exposure to substances and/or prolonged maternal stress impacts a child’s development and health. With the assistance of the CHFA award, social determinants of health will be tracked and increased numbers of mothers-to-be will be connected to long-term support services.
¡Que Cute! works to remove barriers to care that include limited access to: community resources, physical, increased social-emotional and/or psychological safety and stability, and/or treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. Untreated historical and current trauma may alter a mother’s perceptions related to safety and trust in relationships, potentially negatively impacting their child’s secure development.
“Building trust is crucial in our program,” said Ana Morelos, Navigator with LCCS. “We will be working with mothers to do things in the best interest of their child which may include tough choices to leave their current situations.”
The QCHB Program has developed strategies to effectively engage pregnant mothers, with an initial focus on building trust and understanding the mothers’ needs. With this foundation in place, mothers are more receptive to receiving critical navigation supports including coordination around and transportation to prenatal appointments and birthing classes; connection to Doulas; breastfeeding information and lactation consultation; nutrition support, safety and child development education resources; connection to substance use and mental health treatment; and resources and referrals to address social determinants of health. Navigators collaborate closely with mothers throughout their course of care to develop a service plan specific to client circumstances, values, and culture. QCHB Navigators typically meet with clients in their homes, agency offices, or at a community settings, particularly during COVID-19 restrictions. Meeting times are flexible to accommodate client and family schedules. There is no time limit on the length or frequency of sessions, so women with complex needs may receive many hours of QCHB Navigation support weekly.
”By combining our community health funding resources, we aspire to work together with community partners more effectively while decreasing the administrative burden, strengthen the system of care in our community, and achieve greater impact in health outcomes for the residents of Santa Fe and northern New Mexico.” proclaims CHFA.