Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health

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Healthy babies start with healthy women. Pee Dee Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities supports women of childbearing age, pregnant women, mothers and fathers in Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties.

PDHS believes every child deserves a healthy start and our aim is to improve health outcomes by addressing the social and racial inequities from birth through adulthood.

Our Services

Dad's Matter
Maternal and Infant Health
Perinatal Health
Mom’s Health
Family and Community Support

Service Areas

Chesterfield County Office

203 N. Page Street

Chesterfield, SC 29709

Office: (843) 623-7304

Fax: (843) 623-5939

Shanikqua Allen, Case Manager, (843) 758-5661, sallen@pdhs.org

Ashley Burch, Community Health Worker, (843) 758-3101, aburch@pdhs.org

 
Darlington County Office

300 Russell Street, Room 209

Darlington, SC 29532

Office: (843) 944-0920

Lillie Fox, Fidelity Monitor, (843) 687-0768, lfox@pdhs.org

Darrell Howell, Fatherhood Coordinator, (843) 758-5713, dhowell@pdhs.org

 
Dillon County Office

Kimberly Grant, Case Manager, (843) 250-0018, kgrant@pdhs.org

 
Florence County Office

314 West Pine Street

Florence, South Carolina 29501

Office: (843) 662-1482

Fax: (843) 662-1039

Angela Isaac, Family Intervention Specialist, (843) 307-0561, aissac@pdhs.org

Miriam James-Singley, Case Manager, (843) 250-6013, msingley@pdhs.org

 
Marion County Office

1305 N. Main Street
Marion, SC 29571
Office: (843) 423-4332

Kimberly Grant, Case Manager, (843) 250-0018, kgrant@pdhs.org

 
Marlboro County Office

Shanikqua Allen, Case Manager, (843) 758-5661, sallen@pdhs.org

 

Williamsburg County Office

520 Thurgood Marshall Boulevard

Kingstree, SC 29556

Office: (843) 354-6554

Fax: (843) 354-9981

Priscilla Moyd-McFadden, Community Health Worker, (843) 544-5298, pmcfadden@pdhs.org

Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health Online Registration

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Reason for Referral

Dads Matter 

At Pee Dee Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities, we know Dads Matter and our Fatherhood Initiative seeks to strengthen families in our community by encouraging fathers and father figures to play a more active role in nurturing and raising their children.  When fathers are actively involved in their children’s lives, we all succeed. 

The Facts show that Dads Matter

  • Children who grow up without the presence of their fathers are, on average, at least two to three times more likely to live in poverty. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 23% of children in SC live in poverty and more than 50% live in low-income households.
  • Studies indicate that more than 75% of youth patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes
  • Statistics show that more than 85% of youth in prison have an absent father.
  • Teens without fathers are twice as likely to be involved in early sexual activity and seven times more likely to get pregnant as an adolescent.

Our fatherhood initiative offers the following services:

  • Education and Services tailored for fathers and father-figures
  • Case management services to ensure you get the help you need
  • Job Development, career advisement and certification and employment placement
  • Housing Assistance
  • Utility Assistance
  • GED Assistance
  • Safe Place for Men – Peer Support

Maternal and Infant Health

It is important that all pregnant women can find the support they need to keep themselves and their babies safe. The health of a baby at birth can affect their wellbeing throughout the rest of their lives.

South Carolina’s infant mortality rate remains higher than the national average. Pee Dee Healthy Start continues to work on improving women’s health and increasing prenatal and perinatal care and nutrition to prevent infant mortality due to low birth weight and prematurity, the leading causes of infant death in the Pee Dee region. Find out our services to improve your baby’s health. {more}.

To support our participants, PDHS offers the following services:

  • Health Education
  • What to Expect during Pregnancy, Labor and Beyond   
  • Advocacy, Social and Emotional Support
  • Finding a Medical Home and Provider that Works for You
  • Links to Benefits (SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, Insurance, Disability, Housing)
  • Car Seat Safety
  • Newborn Care and Support
  • Referrals to Community Resources
  • Safe Sleep Programs  
  • Budgeting
  • Parenting Education
  • Child Safety and Child Development
  • Fatherhood Education and Support
  • Nutrition Education for the Family
  • Breastfeeding and Bottle-Feeding Education and Support
  • Tobacco Cessation/Substance Dependence Counseling
  • Family Planning
  • Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Prevention
  • Domestic Violence Intervention and Support
  • Career Employment Assistance

About Perinatal Health

PDHS Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health

Healthy babies start with healthy women.   Pee Dee Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities supports women of childbearing age, pregnant women, mothers and fathers in Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties.

Perinatal Health Belief

PDHS believes every child deserves a healthy start and our aim is to improve health outcomes by addressing the social and racial inequities from birth through adulthood.

Improving Perinatal Health Outcomes

Improving perinatal health outcomes starts with every community understanding its health risks and its role. PDHS Eliminating Disparities focuses on the following priorities:

  • Every girl and woman of reproductive age understands she is in control of her reproductive health.
  • Every pregnant woman receives patient-centered, high quality prenatal care beginning in the 1st trimester.
  • Every healthcare provider has the tools and resources they need to manage complex social needs of women and infants.
  • Every woman understands that their maternal and infant care facility and provider should practice evidence-based health care.
  • Every newborn receives high-quality neonatal care in the hospital and outpatient setting
  • Every parent has the life skills needed to nurture and provide for their family
  • Every infant, mom, and dad have a safe and healthy environment to thrive and receive the support they need to promote early childhood development and learning.

These priorities fall within four overall strategic areas to eliminate preventable infant deaths and reduce preterm and low-birth-weight births: improving preconception health; assuring high-quality healthcare; strengthening families as they prepare and care for children; and promoting safe and healthy environments.

Mom’s Health

Black women die at 3x’s the rate as their white counterparts and Pee Dee Healthy Start Eliminating Disparities Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (MMM) services focuses on the leading risk factors associated with maternal mortality. The goal of MMM is to combat infant mortality and maternal mortality and morbidity in rural communities within the Pee Dee Region. MMM services and activities focus on these risk factors including advanced maternal age, hypertension/coronary artery disease, diabetes, anemia, preeclampsia/toxemia, depression, morbid obesity, and any comorbidity.

 

(MMM) services

The PDHS approach to MMM services provides all clients with an assigned community health worker (CHW). CHWs work to establish and maintain trust and help participants access and connect to health and social services in the community. Medium and high-risk clients are assigned a case manager (CM). The CM works with participants to alleviate social determinants which can lead to additional stress. Many times, CMs advocate for participant’s care, acting as the voice to eliminate disparities. Case Managers also teach participants how to advocate for themselves and become empowered to actively participate in their healthcare.  [Learn More Here about PDHS MMM Services]

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Participants who are classified as high-risk for maternal mortality and in need of enhanced coordination are referred to our Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Initiative (MMM) to receive intensive services including: 

  • individualized education relevant to their condition(s)
  • increased client contacts and longer monitoring period during pregnancy and post-pregnancy (calls/visits once per week or twice per month versus once per month)
  • participate in a self-monitoring blood pressure program (if eligible),
  • and participants at high-risk for maternal mortality and morbidity may be referred to a specialist.

MMM services and activities are coordinated by a full-time registered nurse clinical specialist (CS) and direct services are provided by a nurse practitioner (NP). The CS provides education to CHWs, CMs and NPs on the early warning signs of labor and other obstetric emergencies, hypertension, diabetes, etc. She consults with the CMs, CHWs, NP, and other team members to ensure continuity of care for pregnant and postpartum women to design care coordination, and care plans. The NP provides medical services to targeted high-risk women with advanced age or diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, anemia or exhibit depressive symptoms. The NP provides one-on-one counseling and education to support healthy lifestyle modifications, medication compliance, risk factors associated with premature labor and delivery or general concerns of pregnancy such as nausea. The NP works with the CHWs, CMs, physicians, clinics, and other providers to ensure the best outcome for the participant and her infant.  

 

Family and Community Support

 

PDHS wants to help ensure you have the information and resources needed to succeed. We have partnered with the following national, state and local organizations to make sure families have the help they truly need.

  • Cribs for Kids
  • Clemson Extension
  • Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • SC Thrive
  • SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)
  • Department of Social Services
  • Poynor Adult Education