The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund has received nearly $600,000 in federal funding to support rural prenatal home visits during pregnancy, as well as follow up visits during the early years of a child’s life.
CTF Executive Director Emily van Schenkhof said they intend to use the funds to help support evidence-based prenatal home visit programs in rural Missouri. Home visits are meant to be a free option for families who can’t easily access individualized prenatal care.
“It’s an exciting time period in Missouri that we’ve chosen to invest some of our federal funds into something that could have such a meaningful impact on moms and babies in Missouri," she said.
More than 10% of births in Missouri occur in maternity care deserts according to the latest March of Dimes research.
There are different home visit programs within CTF, and some have nurses that visit the home during a pregnancy and to monitor vitals and assess if extra medical support is needed. Others work with families to make sure that they are adjusting well to life with a child and that they are preparing the child for a successful future in terms of learning and functionality.
Emily van Schenkhof said the goal is to make prenatal care more accessible and available in rural areas of Missouri.
In their most recent data, the March of Dime reported more than 15% of pregnant people receive no or inadequate prenatal care in Missouri.
“Evidence-based home visiting is a key strategy for improving the lives of Missourians, particularly for vulnerable babies and moms, and that’s who we want to be as a state," she said.
Van Schenkhof adds they are looking for rural organizations with services provided by nurses, and programs must be willing to work year round to qualify. Applications are open until August 28th.
