Eskenazi Health recently announced two new initiatives aimed at enhancing maternal health, the result of a yearlong effort to assess health barriers in several central Indiana neighborhoods.
Eskenazi Health launched three health engagement zones in 2024 — areas where Eskenazi Health and community partners work together to build healthy neighborhoods by addressing longterm social determinants of health, with the goal of increasing the life expectancy of area residents. According to a news release several barriers to health were identified through that process.
“With Indiana scoring low in maternal health outcomes, and Black maternal mortality rates increasing, outreach is vital for these communities,” stated Kimberly McElroy-Jones, chief culture officer at Health & Hospital Corp. of Marion County. “Our goal is to turn these numbers around while educating and supporting our neighbors.”
According to a 2023 study by the Indiana Department of Health and Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana ranked the third worst in maternal mortality in the nation.
The first program under development is an initiative to provide a continuum of maternal health services for those living in a zone near the Eskenazi Health Thomas & Arlene Grande Campus at 38th Street and Arlington Avenue. The NEST initiative — Navigating Every Step Together — works to bridge gaps that often result in poor maternal and infant health outcomes.
The news release stated that participants will be connected with prenatal care navigation to help them access medical, emotional and social support needed for a healthy pregnancy. Partners will include the City of Indianapolis, Divine Transitions, Cradle Indy, United Northeast Community Development Corporation and InTouch Outreach, with funding support from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation.
The second program focuses on transportation issues facing far eastside residents in the East 38th Street and Post Road area. The program is called Mothers Get a Lyft, with participants receiving support from pregnancy confirmation through postpartum recovery and infant wellness.
Expectant mothers enrolled in the program will be matched with a community health worker who will help coordinate care, schedule appointments, provide health education and support the individual’s goals and preferences. Services include offering Lyft rideshares to health care appointments and using the established Indy Hunger Network program to provide inexpensive Lyft rides to SNAP-eligible grocery stores.
The two programs will be launched in the coming months. For more, visit eskenazihealth.edu/programs/social-determinants-of-health.
