The funding supports a text- and phone-based program that screens pregnant and postpartum patients for medical, behavioral health and social needs.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Prisma Health has received a major grant to improve the lives of mothers and babies across the Carolinas.
The healthcare provider said it has received $1.6 million from The Duke Endowment to join the Maternal Infant Health Carolinas initiative. According to a statement from Prisma, the initiative aims to improve care coordination and make it more accessible and equitable to those who need it.
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“We are thrilled to launch this initiative in partnership with MUSC, UNC-Chapel Hill and five health systems,” said Jay Kennedy, the senior program officer with the Endowment’s health care program area. “Our aim is to work together to replicate and scale this program in hopes of improving health outcomes for more women and infants across the Carolinas.”
Through Healing, Equity, Advocacy, and Respect 4 Mamas and Babies (H4MAB), participating agencies will be able to use text messages and calls to check in on patients during pregnancy and up to a year after the child’s birth. The program also uses these platforms to help screen for medical and mental health as well as everyday needs.
The program was created by the Medical University of South Carolina, which also runs a training and support center in conjunction with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That center will provide training and other tools to help roll out the services and determine additional ways to continue funding the program beyond the grant.
According to The Duke Endowment, Prisma is one of five health systems forming the network, which will focus on reducing risk factors that negatively affect mothers and babies.
Kim Alston, the director of Prisma’s Healthy Start, said this aligns with the health system’s recent expansion in Lexington County and the Upstate.
The healthcare provider said it will partner with local doctors, health agencies, community groups and the H4MAB team to connect families with medical and behavioral health resources, as well as social and peer support.
The H4MAB team will also be responsible for creating a community advisory board for feedback, identifying resource gaps, and ensuring the program is effectively implemented in the community.
“This program has shown how thoughtful collaboration can build trust for timely, accessible care that strengthens families and communities,” Alston said.