HEALTH QUALITY FOR ALL

HRSA grant renewed for another five years

Infant mortality is a crucial problem in East Texas. Out of the 254 counties in Texas, Smith County ranks as the second highest in infant mortality. ¶ The Texas Home Visiting program aims to meet this vital need. The Health Resources and Service Administration grant of $7,187,500 was renewed recently, providing funding for this crucial program for another five years. ¶ The NurseFamily Partnership nurses start working with low-income, first-time pregnant women early on in their pregnancy, and they continue meeting with the mothers until the child is 2 years old. Their goal is to help the mother reach fullterm pregnancy and ensure the child is at a healthy weight. ¶ While the program does aim to ensure the child is healthy, it also offers several benefits to the mother. Thanks to a different grant, the UT Tyler Health Science Center is the only THV site in Texas that offers eligible mothers 15 free therapy sessions addressing perinatal depression. ¶ The mothers who have participated in this program have gone on to achieve significant accomplishments: earning a driver's license, taking English classes, finishing their GED, completing a master's degree and even pursuing a career in nursing. ¶ The goal of this program is to reach 175 women a year to promote healthy pregnancy, healthy births and health equity, and the renewal of the grant makes this possible. — EN