Rural health network development planning grant program - health equity abstract population to be served the western south dakota indigenous maternal health network seeks funding to support a…

Rural health network development planning grant program - health equity abstract population to be served the western south dakota indigenous maternal health network seeks funding to support a network of health and community partners who will address the scarcity of maternal healthcare for indigenous women living on pine ridge reservation. The network will use the one-year planning period to assemble a group of public health and non-profit entities, regional health care systems, and university research experts, drawing on each organizations expertise and wealth of experience, to develop a program to address gaps in maternal health coverage. Specifically, the network will develop a process by which community health workers from pine ridge will receive maternal health training and doula certification, providing prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care to american indian women. The network requests funding preference under qualification 2. Oglala lakota county is designated a medically underserved area according to hrsa standards. Pine ridge reservation is one of the poorest communities in the entire nation. Such extreme poverty limits residents' access to reliable transportation, a consistent telephone or internet connection, childcare, quality housing, employment, and education opportunities. Consequently, many of the state's rural residents are quite literally cut off from ready access to healthcare. Counties with reservations within their borders or those bordering tribal lands consistently demonstrate disparities in prenatal care, which contributes to several negative outcomes. Network members committed: west river area health education center; monument health; horizon healthcare; south dakota school of mines and technology verbally committed: avera research institute-rapid city; the great plains tribal leadership health board; oyate health; appletree midwifery; fall river health services potential: indian health services the network attests that at least 66% of the members offer services in rural areas as designated by hrsa. Monument health has critical access hospitals located throughout western south dakota and horizon health services has 5 federally qualified health centers located in pine ridge, rosebud, and cheyenne river reservations. Pre-meetings have been held with network partners, and the results of these conversations inform the network work plan, goals and objectives, and the preliminary roles and responsibilities for each network partner. Experience in serving population west river ahec is well situated to lead this work. The executive and assistant director of WR ahec and key personnel on this project, have taken lead on several large, federal grants and have a history of collaborating with west river area clinics, hospitals, non-profit agencies, and universities. WR ahec and monument have worked together on federal grants and monument health has a representative on the WR ahec board. Sdsm & t currently has a MOU with monument for the open exchange of data. This institution also has a strong relationship with WR ahec, including a representative from the university acting as member of the board of directors. Finally, horizon has created their own maternal health program. By drawing on members of the community to provide services and care to pregnant women, this network will improve equity and health outcomes in the local healthcare environment. Specifically, chws will act as a support system for women to schedule and attend routine and regular checkups; to navigate the healthcare system-acting as a voice for questions about costs and health insurance, the identification and management of high-risk conditions, risk and culturally appropriate labor and delivery services, as well as breastfeeding support and access to other social services following the birth of their baby. Trained CHW's would facilitate not only the prenatal care visits but could accompany women throughout their entire pregnancy and post-delivery.