Page 16 - The Indian EYE 052424

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline MAY 24, 2024 | The Indian Eye 16

NYC Mayor Adams Announces over 12,000

Families Served with Maternal and Infant

Health Services

Advances Adams Administration’s Goal in HealthyNYC to Reduce Black Maternal

Mortality by 10 Percent by 2030

OUR BUREAU
NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Adams and New
York City Department of Health and Men-
Ntal Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr.
Ashwin Vasan today announced that, since expand-
ing access to doula and midwifery services two years
ago, over 12,000 families have been served with
home visits by the New Family Home Visits Initia-
tive. The $34 million initiative offers support ser-
vices and referrals to new and expectant parents by
having trained health workers — such as a nurses,
doulas, lactation consultants, or community health
workers — make in-person or virtual visits to the
home of a new or expecting parents, identifying ma-
ternal health needs during pregnancy or soon after
childbirth, preparing families for delivery and a new
baby, and connecting families to needed services
essential to the well-being of mothers, children, and
families. The New Family Home Visits Initiative in-
cludes the Newborn Home Visits Program, Nurse
Family Partnership, and Citywide Doula Initiative. As of December 2023, approximately 9,500 families were served by the Newborn Home Visit Program, 1,200 by the Nurse
As of December 2023, approximately 9,500
families were served by the Newborn Home Visit Family Partnership, and 1,900 by the Citywide Doula Initiative
Program, 1,200 by the Nurse Family Partnership,
and 1,900 by the Citywide Doula Initiative. As the “Today’s announcement demonstrates our easier for families to be quickly connected to home
city aims to reduce Black maternal mortality by 10 long-standing commitment to reshaping our ma- visiting programs, the New Family Home Visits
percent by 2030 through HealthyNYC — New York ternal health system to engage a broader care team Initiative implemented the nation’s first citywide,
City’s ambitious plan to improve and extend the av- including doulas, lactation specialists, and others to web-based coordinated intake and referral system.
erage lifespan of all New Yorkers — this milestone give every expectant person and family the support This system matches families to programs and com-
represents the Adams administration’s continued they need before and after welcoming their new fam- munity resources that best fit their needs and for
commitment to building healthier families and ily member,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Hu- this effort, DOHMH was awarded the Government
communities across the five boroughs. man Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Furthermore, Technology Best of New York City Award in No-
“Since day one, our administration has been we set a goal through HealthyNYC to reduce Black vember 2023.
committed to supporting expecting families and maternal mortality by 10 percent by 2030, as Black Comprised of three programs, the New Family
tackling maternal mortality,” said Mayor Adams. women are four times more likely to experience Home Visits Initiative connects new and expecting
“The numbers are clear: Black New Yorkers are a pregnancy associated death compared to white parents with thoughtful care for every expecting
four times more likely than white New Yorkers to women in New York City. We will continue to work and new family. The Newborn Home Visits Pro-
experience a pregnancy-associated death. Our ad- to close these equity gaps and give every family the gram has served approximately 9,500 families in
ministration has taken action to boost birth equity healthy, supportive foundation they need to thrive.” just over two years and offers no-cost in-person
— expanding the doula program citywide, signing a “Supporting maternal and infant health in a and virtual home visits to families with a new infant
package of bills to strengthen maternal health, and way that centers an individual family’s needs is es- (zero to three months) to facilitate the adjustment
setting the ambitious goal of reducing Black mater- sential to building trust and a strong foundation for to parenthood, assure a safe living environment for
nal mortality by 10 percent by 2030. Since we ex- a healthy future,” said DOHMH Commissioner families, provide topic-specific education, and iden-
panded access to doulas, lactation consultants, and Dr. Vasan. “We are committed to reducing mater- tify health and social issues that require referral to
nurse visits, we are proud to have connected over nal mortality rates as part of our efforts to increase community-based services. The Nurse Family Part-
12,000 families across New York City with services New Yorkers’ lifespans and healthspans, and the nership is an evidence-based nurse home visiting
that are supporting families. Our children are our New Family Home Visits Initiative offers valuable program that pairs clients with registered nurses to
most precious resource, and by investing in them accompaniment and support to ensure the healthi- receive regular visits from early pregnancy until their
and their families from the start, we’ll build a safer est start to life possible.” child’s second birthday. The program has served
and healthier city for generations to come.” To simplify the referral process and make it approximately 1,200 families since March 2023.

www.TheIndianEYE.com