Columbia, S.C. — For 27 years, the Healthy Start model has been transforming the lives of mothers, babies, fathers, families, and the community in the Midlands. Prisma Health continues this vital work with a $5.5 million federal grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Additionally, an extra $5.5 million grant will enable the expansion of Healthy Start services to Lexington and the Upstate areas.
“There’s such a dire need in these regions, with high infant mortality rates, high maternal mortality rates, and a lot of health disparities, especially affecting the African American population,” said Kim Alston, Director of the program.
Healthy Start focuses on improving health from pre-conception to early childhood. The Midlands program serves pregnant women, postpartum women, babies, fathers, families, and communities in Richland and Sumter. The expansion will now include Lexington County, Greenville, Greenwood, Anderson, Laurens, and Cherokee counties. The goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortality and other health disparities.
“So much of an individual’s health and wellness is driven by factors outside the view of a doctor, midwife, or nurse,” said maternal-fetal medicine physician Kacey Eichelberger, MD. “I am thrilled to welcome Kim Alston and her Healthy Start team to the Upstate to partner with our communities for better health outcomes.”
The team has been collaborating with faith-based communities, other organizations, and social groups in the Upstate to prepare for the expanded mission. “We want to hear from the communities themselves about what their needs are, their top health concerns,” Alston said. “We know we can’t do this in a silo. We must work together with faith communities and the programs that already exist.”
Berry Campbell, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in the Midlands, emphasized, “Prisma Health cares for the largest number of patients in our state who are on Medicaid and are under/uninsured. This vulnerable population is critical to reach in their community if we are ever to make a difference in outcomes. That is where Healthy Start has the chance to make the greatest impact.”
Alston hopes the expansion will target those in most need, strengthen the community by improving the safety and health of mothers and babies, connect fathers with their families, and focus on education, risk prevention, and access to care.
Participants engage in events designed to educate them on essential practices such as safe sleep, breastfeeding, car seat safety, stress reduction, well visits, prenatal care, postpartum care, and warning signs of depression. The program includes nurse practitioners, non-clinical community health workers, social workers, educators, and support staff.
“These families are so excited that we are meeting them where they are with care and respect for their individual circumstances,” said Program Manager Windy Holliday. Harriett Smith, NP, clinical services leader, added, “Healthy Start’s expansion builds upon the Midlands’ program success with a new collaborative initiative to reduce health disparities.”
“There are families who live in food deserts; they struggle with housing; some are homeless. They feel forgotten,” Alston said. “Once you learn about the families and the difference this work makes, it can’t help but touch your heart. There are people dying from preventable causes. We can’t change everything, but we can try our best to ease access to the resources they need.”
Learn more about Midlands Healthy Start by visiting Prisma Health Healthy Start.
