Vulnerable populations rely heavily upon their community for almost every aspect of wellbeing. Assurance means that community resources are adequate to address the needs of such populations incapable of managing their own safety. Providing populations facing health disparities with access to resources goes beyond simply knowing where resources are –careful assessment using the 4 A’s identified in this week’s lesson. Determining the acceptability, affordability, availability, & accessibility of resources is individualized for each subpopulation as well as each individual (CCN, 2065).
Helping Mary find effective resources during her pregnancy is essential to the care of both the mother & her baby. “The health of the mother before, during, & after pregnancy has a direct impact on the health & well-being of her child. The conditions that surround a child’s fetal development & early years shape his or her life” (Neis & McEwen, 2015).
Portage County Help Me Grow is committed to supporting & educating families with children from birth to age three with developmental delays. Support & education is provided through service coordination, early intervention & home visiting. Both early Intervention & Home Visiting provide families with links to community resources & services. Information can be accessed on the Portage County website, the Ohio Department of Health website, & at www.helpmegrow.ohio.gov/. This service could be beneficial to Mary because it provides free home visits, family-focused services & support to first-time pregnant women & to families with young children. This service can be very beneficial to Mary providing free home visits to assist her to get her home ready for a newborn & providing needed resources.
Coleman Professional Services has two Portage County offices that provide Behavioral Health Services & services for expecting mothers. The Pregnancy Center is a one-stop pregnancy resource & crisis intervention center for those concerned about their expected or unexpected pregnancy. The services at this facility include free prenatal, nutritional wellness checks, budgeting assistance, job-seeking skills assistance, material assistance (diapers, baby clothing, baby blankets), emotional support & coping skills, assessment of needs related to the pregnancy, & the development of a Pregnancy Care Plan. This is another great service that can assist Mary during her pregnancy. Coleman Services will provide Mary with a pregnancy advocate that will help her with referrals & linkages for health care, food assistance, transportation & childcare.
Catholic Charities First Step program addresses the social support needs of expectant women & families. First Step provides parents with material assistance, case management, community referrals, parenting skills, & child safety kits. Along with Coleman Professional Services, this program can help Mary establish a plan for short-term economic security & assist & support her in the development of a long-term self-sufficiency plan.
InfantSEE is a public health program managed by Optometry Cares, designed to ensure that eye & vision care becomes an essential part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. Participating optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 & 12 months of age as a no-cost public service. A link to this service is also available on the Portage County Health Department website & the Ohio Department of Health. This is a free service that Mary can take advantage of once the infant is born. Mary will probably be referred to this service if she uses the Help Me Grow Program or the Coleman Professional Services.
United Way of Greater Portage County provides free-of-charge information & referral services to all Portage County residents. United Way’s 2-1-1 Portage, information & referral service connects families & individuals in Portage County with community resources & services in the areas of health, education & income. This is just a general way that Mary can connect with the services she will need during her pregnancy. I believe the first three programs I provide here will be more than sufficient & cover all the bases during her pregnancy. If she chooses to use United Way for further assistance, she can contact them using the 2-1-1 contact number or use http://www.unitedwayofportage.com.