Delivering Change Improved Infant Mortality and Morbidity Rates in Geary County.

Delivering Change: Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies to Discuss Improved Infant Mortality and Morbidity Rates in Geary County.

In 2011, Geary County citizens faced troubling facts: their central Kansas communities registered one of the state’s worst infant mortality and morbidity rates (IMR), with 10.4 infant deaths per 1,000 births in the period between 2007 and 2010. In response, area parents and healthcare professionals created a collaborative group to address health issues faced by infants and women of child-bearing age.

Since its beginnings in July 2011, Delivering Change: Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies has helped to significantly reduce IMR rates by providing at-risk women and their partners with improved access to prenatal education and care, assistance in securing health insurance, and guidance finding financial aid, among other initiatives. According to the most recent statistics from the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE), the IMR in Geary County has declined to 6.6/1,000 live births for the period between 2010 and 2014.

“We keep moving closer to the state and national averages,” said Jill Nelson, co-chair for the Geary County Perinatal Coalition. “The investments of time, energy and funding are working. And we’re thrilled to provide a model for others, and consult as they establish their own coalitions.”

Indeed, others want to emulate Delivering Change. Earlier this year, after 18 months of planning and collaboration, Delivering Change expanded into neighboring Riley County, which has established its own perinatal coalition. Delivering Change representatives will meet with members of the press to discuss the progress of their efforts and plans for the future Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 12 p.m. in Geary Community Hospital’s third-floor, Medical Arts II conference room.

Advancing from its grassroots beginnings, when funding came from the March of Dimes and the Geary Community Health Foundation, Delivering Change today is backed by a five-year, $3.5 million federal Healthy Start Initiative award, secured in 2014 with assistance from the Center for Public Partnerships & Research (CPPR) at the University of Kansas (KU) and administered by KDHE. The project continues Geary County’s collaborative approach, with KDHE as project manager for the grant and CPPR providing evaluation services.

“Our ‘Becoming a mom’ curriculum provides evidence-based content that really targets the mom and her support people in terms of the important decision-makers,” said Terrah Stroda, a Junction City certified nurse/midwife. “It also empowers a woman to make decisions that improve the health of herself and her baby.”

CPPR Director Jackie Counts said she and her colleagues were thrilled with the news from Geary County. “As with so many of our collaborations across the state and the nation,” Counts said, “we are providing communities with tools to help them take a closer look at the current status of their early-childhood efforts, identify areas of improvement and determine steps to reach the desired outcomes.

“Delivering Change is a terrific example of what can happen when concerned individuals team up to connect talents and passions with practical programs that address challenging community issues. It’s proof that working together, we can make a positive difference.”

More about Delivering Change

Delivering Change: Healthy Moms-Healthy Babies is a three-pronged approach to improving birth outcomes and improving the health of our infants, focusing on women of childbearing age: including interconception health, prenatal and postpartum care; promoting and supporting breastfeeding; and parent, provider and community education to increase infant-health knowledge and prevent infant injuries and death.

More about KDHE

At KDHE, our mission is to protect and improve the health and environment of all Kansans.

Through education, direct services and the assessment of data and trends, coupled with policy development and enforcement, KDHE will improve health and quality of life. We prevent illness, injuries and foster a safe and sustainable environment for the people of Kansas.

More about CPPR

One of the KU Achievement & Assessment Institute’s four research centers, CPPR assists partners with addressing complex social issues through research and evaluation, systems development, professional development, technical assistance and performance management systems. CPPR currently has more than 50 grants in the areas of early childhood, child welfare, child-abuse prevention, K-12 education and at-risk families. Strong partnerships with the Kansas Children's Cabinet & Trust Fund, Kansas Department of Health & Environment, Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Health Foundation result in innovations, positive change, and support for at-risk children, youth and families across the state.