Improving Access to Care

The Healthy Infants & Newborns initiative includes Resource Mothers, Fatherhood Support and CenteringPregnancy programs, which all seek to reduce low birth weights and infant mortality in the Mahoning Valley.

Resource Mothers and Fatherhood Support programs connect new and expecting parents with mentors who help them learn how to best care for themselves and their babies. Mentors work with the parents throughout the pregnancy until the child’s first birthday. Mentors help new and expecting mothers make and keep physician appointments, learn the importance of prenatal care, adhering to a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They help expecting fathers learn to be supportive of their partners and, they help new parents – mothers and fathers – learn how to best care for their children. When necessary, the program also provides safe sleep environments, car seats and other necessities.

CenteringPregnancy, a model of prenatal care, brings women together who are at similar stages of pregnancy for extended health appointments. The expecting women also learn how to best care for themselves and their children during group sessions and build supportive relationships with each other. When needed, safe sleep environments, car seats and diapers are provided.

All of these programs target the disparity in birth outcomes for minority families.

Hospice is a philosophy of care that accepts dying as a natural part of life. This specialized care focuses on caring, not curing. Hospice of the Valley provides comprehensive and compassionate end-of-life care as well as support for the family.

Joanie’s Promise ensures that anyone in our community in need of diagnostic breast care services has access to the best care available regardless of ability to pay.

It provides uninsured and underinsured women and men who meet financial eligibility guidelines with whatever breast diagnostic services they need: screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms, ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), MBI (molecular breast imaging), and image-guided breast biopsy. It also eliminates other barriers to care, and covers hospital and radiologist fees, ensuring that those who qualify never receive a bill.

Man Up Mahoning Valley raises awareness about the importance of routine prostate cancer screenings. It educates men and their families about age-appropriate prostate exams and PSA (prostate specific antigen blood draws). Man Up Mahoning Valley also provides free prostate cancer screenings to any man 40 years old or older.

Many of the free prostate cancer screenings take place during a variety of fun community events throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties so they are easily accessible to everyone. These events include Mercy Health Day, Fuel the Fight car show, Panerathon and the African American Male Wellness Walk.