St. Louis Maternal, Child and Family Health Coalition

Programs and Initiatives:

The Maternal, Child and Family Health Coalition increases healthy births, promotes healthy families and builds healthy communities by focusing on:

Preconception care
Prenatal care
Maternal mental health
Immunizations
Building maternal and child health capacity

The MCFHC accomplishes its mission and goals through the creation of a community agenda for improving MCH, public and professional education, engaging citizens, and developing/implementing programs that promote systemic change.

HEALTHY MOTHERS AND BABIES PROGRAMS

Healthy Start: St. Louis Healthy Start is a federally funded initiative to reduce racial disparity in infant death in at-risk families by promoting prenatal care and coordinating system level changes. Through this program, over 3,000 home visits are provided each year to 100 families living in 63113, 63120 and 63136. During the first four years of the program, women who participated had a 30% lower rate of delivering preterm than other women did in the project area. The program increases access to primary care which is evident in the number of children immunized. Since 2001, the MCFHC has brought over $7 million to St. Louis for the purposes of improving infant mortality rates. Women who participated had a 44% lower rate of delivering a low birthweight baby than other women in the targeted areas

Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR): FIMR finds gaps in the systems of care that could prevent future deaths. FIMR findings are used to develop interventions that improve access to quality care. Initiatives resulting from FIMR include increasing the number of HIV infected women and their children who receive quality care, reducing smoking during pregnancy, and increasing consistent access to care.

Perinatal Substance abuse Prevention Committee: This committee is developing tools and training to identify and treat substance using women early in pregnancy. FIMR has also implemented interventions to reduce smoking during pregnancy and increase education and awareness of safe sleep for infants.

Maternal Mental Health Planning Group: formed in 2009 as a result of the Mapping a Course priority to address the negative effect of maternal depression on women’s and children’s health during and after pregnancy. The planning group will design community actions to identify and provide quality care to women.

Prenatal Care and Infant Wellness Collaborative: This partnership reduces infant death and low birth weight births by increasing early and regular prenatal care. The Collaborative is developing and piloting a coordinated, comprehensive outreach and education campaign in the 27th Ward of the City of St. Louis. In 2011, the Collaborative launched the TRIUMPH campaign through support from Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation, Greater St. Louis Health Foundation, Express Scripts, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Office of Minority Health.

Partnership for Preconception Health: The health of women before pregnancy is a leading contributor to our area’s high infant mortality rate and the racial and ethnic disparities in poor birth outcomes. The MCFHC is convening stakeholders to assess, plan and implement actions to improve the health of women before and between pregnancy. Recent funding awarded to the St. Louis area will enables us to launch a comprehensive needs assessment of current preconception care services and women’s wellness activities that optimize the health of women in the St Louis region, leading to healthier infants and families. A status of preconception care report and recommendations to improve preconception health in St Louis will be prepared to serve as a strategic plan for action.

HEALTHY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAMS

Gateway Immunization Coalition: This partnership saves lives and improves health by eliminating vaccine preventable diseases. The Immunization Coalition (IC) increases the number of individuals fully immunized, disseminates information about vaccines, and advocates for sound vaccine policy. The Coalition is proud to help provide more than 100,000 immunizations to area residents through its partners. The Immunization Coalition provides outreach and education targeted to adolescents, parents, schools, and child care providers to increase the rate of vaccination in our region.

The St. Louis Flu Task Force – a working group of the IC coordinates flu vaccine promotion and education. The IC hosts a flu information line every year during flu season and holds regular educational meetings. As a result of the Coalition, vaccine providers avoided a potential influenza vaccine shortage for women and children when members were informed about a new state law requiring pregnant women and children under 3 receive a special vaccine.

Access to Health Insurance Planning Group: Formed in 2009 as a result of the Mapping a Course priority to address the growing number of uninsured and underinsured low income parents and children. The planning group will develop community actions that will lead to healthier families and lower health costs by advocating for quality, affordable health coverage for all parents and children.

Healthy Homes Planning Group: Formed in 2009 as a result of the Mapping a Course priority to address the poor quality of housing contributing to health problems. The planning group will protect more children and families from harmful exposures by eliminating health risks associated with housing.