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Everyday Heroes: Celebrating the Contribution of Health Workers

UNITED STATES:
New River Health Association
Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW) Program, Oak Hill, WV

The Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW) Program, a perinatal outreach program consisting of health professionals and paraprofessionals, helps young families find their own ways to overcome some of the challenges created by poverty and isolation while also addressing pregnancy needs and parenting attitudes so that babies can grow to be vigorous, energetic, and curious pre-schoolers.

A commitment to health in a broad sense--physical, emotional, mental, economic, and environmental--has been the focus of the New River Health Association (NRHA) for 24 years. MIHOW carries out the commitment of NRHA to assist families to become healthier in every way.

Fayette County, West Virginia is located in the southern part of the state and its beauty is one of the reasons the state is "Almost Heaven." The county has four distinct regions. The Plateau Region is the most densely populated region of the county. This region supports most of what little industry is located in the county. The north end of the county, known as the New Haven district, is mostly a rural farm area. Much of the whitewater rafting/tourism industry is located in this area. The Valley area of the county is the area where the Gauley and New Rivers meet and flow into the Kanawha. This area was once a major coal and timber producer, and now supports a chemical plant and West Virginia University Institute of Technology. The most isolated area of the county is the community of Meadow Bridge and it's surrounding area. Meadow Bridge is a farming area with a very small amount of coal production and some timbering.

Fayette County has a population of 48,426. Twelve thousand six hundred (26%) of those people live below the poverty level. The population of the county is predominately white/non Hispanic. Seven percent of the population is African American.

The MIHOW Program serves young families beginning in pregnancy and continuing through the preschool years. Approximately 570 babies are born in Fayette County every year. Of those births:

• 7.5% (43 babies) are low birth weight
• 9.5% (54 babies) are born prematurely
• 8.2% (47 babies) are born to teen mothers below age 18
• 35% (200 babies) are born to unmarried mothers
• 25% (143 mothers) get no prenatal care in first trimester

A key strength of the MIHOW program is attracting local women with the capacity for leadership who are widely respected in their communities to serve as Home Visitors. Home Visiting is unlike any other job a person will ever have. It is full of joys and rewards, but also has heartaches and worries that aren't experienced in other jobs. Using several part-time workers allows the MIHOW Program to develop a team that becomes an amazing support system for each other and the program. Home Visitors have access to one another's ideas and opinions and have a sense of belonging, or a sharing of experiences, that provides greater learning opportunities and builds confidence. In addition, with several workers, the Site Leader has more opportunity to make the match between families and workers.

The MIHOW home visitation model focuses on mothers, infants, and children at risk for health, developmental, and social problems associated with poverty and geographic and social isolation. During visits, the MIHOW Home Visitor listens attentively to the mother's concerns; teaches her about nutrition, health, and child development; models effective parenting skills; and links the family with local medical and social service systems. Home visits begin in pregnancy, are scheduled monthly, and continue through the identified child's third year of life.

In Fayette County, the MIHOW program has established strong partnerships for accepting and making referrals with other family service agencies including the Board of Education, Head Start, the Family Resource Network, the Department of Health and Human Resources, and the Domestic Violence Coalition. This referral network allows for smoother access and more comprehensive services for MIHOW families.

The MIHOW Program is supported by private donations, Vanderbilt Center for Health Services, The WV Healthy Kids & Families Coalition, and The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.