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Neighborhood Family Practice has launched a new partnership with Birthing Beautiful Communities. Birthing Beautiful Communities offers a doula program providing labor support, mental health, transportation and other supportive services to individuals and families throughout pregnancy and up to the first year following childbirth. Its programming is uniquely dedicated to supporting Black mothers and infants by addressing social, economic, and structural determinants of health that cause poor birth outcomes. News of this partnership was especially exciting during October, when Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss Awareness Month is recognized, and National Midwifery Week from October 6-12.
Andrea Lyons, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Neighborhood Family Practice and a Board Member here at The Center for Community Solutions, shared some exciting insights about this important new partnership with Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC).
Neighborhood Family Practice (NFP) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides various services to the community in seven locations across westside neighborhoods in Cleveland. There will soon be eight locations—one added to the Central neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, expanding choices in quality healthcare options for the community. Midwifery and breastfeeding support services are included among NFP’s suite of services.
Any pregnant, English-speaking patient at Neighborhood Family Practice will be offered an opportunity to be connected to Birthing Beautiful Communities to take advantage of its doula services.
Who will this partnership serve?
Any pregnant, English-speaking patient at Neighborhood Family Practice will be offered an opportunity to be connected to Birthing Beautiful Communities to take advantage of its doula services. Patients who opt in will be paired with a doula and receive prenatal care and postpartum care from birth to their baby’s first year. This new partnership will allow both organizations to expand their reach in the community. Disparities in birth outcomes and in maternal and infant health persist for Black mothers and their infants due to systemic racism and its symptoms; this partnership is a step toward better outcomes.
Social determinants of health like poverty can worsen these issues. Andrea noted how, given the research on these outcomes in Cleveland, it can be easy to stigmatize Black women navigating poverty as the only group who needs these supports. She emphasized how this partnership can help to eliminate bias, as race is not a factor in being able to take advantage of these services.
Medicaid coverage will allow more families to access doula care
With the passage of House Bill 33, the most recent state operating budget, doulas can now be reimbursed through Medicaid. This allows more parents to access doula services who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Andrea pointed out that over 60 percent of NFP’s patients are on Medicaid; a partnership with BBC creates an even wider pathway to access to doula services for their patients.
Over 60 percent of Neighborhood Family Practice's patients are on Medicaid; a partnership with Birthing Beautiful Communities creates an even wider pathway to access to doula services for their patients.
House Bill 7—The Strong Foundations Act—is another important piece of legislation that Andrea hopes this partnership will promote. The Strong Foundations Act seeks to expand access to prenatal, postnatal, infant and toddler services. Some of its provisions include services such as improved wraparound childcare, mental health, and early intervention treatment options for young children. It also outlines initiatives addressing access to nutrition, housing, transportation, health care and legal services.
Improving outcomes for maternal and infant health
Andrea shared how partnering with Birthing Beautiful Communities was an easy decision given the proven benefits that midwifery and doula services have on outcomes in maternal and infant health. She hopes it will spread awareness of the life-saving benefits of both options for birthing parents and their babies.
Birth Beautiful Communities has a proven track record of improving birth outcomes in Cleveland and providing advocacy and support to ensure mothers deliver full-term. Through this partnership, BBC is also sharing its expertise with NFP medical providers and support staff by providing training on how to better support moms who take advantage of its services. Cultural awareness is a critical part of this training.
This partnership was made possible through funding provided by Ohio Association of Community Health Centers (OACHC) and funneled through Medicaid managed care plans to encourage collaboration between community health centers and doulas. While funding is set to end on December 31, 2024, Andrea showed great enthusiasm for NFP and BBC’s continued partnership in the future. She extended appreciation for the BBC team, and a special thanks to Jazmin Long, President and CEO of BBC and Tonya Nicholson, Senior Director of Programs & Systems. She is hopeful that the organizations’ combined thought leadership will continue to improve outcomes for birthing parents in the community.
