Eskenazi Health has announced two new initiatives aimed at improving maternal health following a year-long effort to assess health barriers in several Central Indiana neighborhoods.
The programs are part of Eskenazi Health’s health engagement zone initiative, launched last year to address long-term social determinants of health and increase life expectancy in targeted areas. The zones operate at three sites: Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street – International Marketplace, Eskenazi Health Thomas & Arlene Grande Campus – Northeast Corridor, and Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek – Far Eastside.
“With Indiana scoring low in maternal health outcomes, and Black maternal mortality rates increasing, outreach is vital for these communities,” said Kimberly McElroy-Jones, PhD, DMin, chief culture officer at Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County. “Our goal is to turn these numbers around while educating and supporting our neighbors.”
The first program, Navigating Every Step Together (NEST) is being developed to serve residents in the Northeast Corridor Health Engagement Zone near the Eskenazi Health Thomas & Arlene Grande Campus at 38th Street and Arlington Avenue. The wraparound initiative is designed to provide a continuum of maternal health services by addressing systemic gaps that contribute to poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Participants will receive prenatal care navigation and access to medical, emotional and social support.
Eskenazi Health has identified several partners for the program, including the City of Indianapolis, Divine Transitions, Cradle Indy, United Northeast Community Development Corporation and InTouch Outreach. Support for the initiative is being provided by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation.
“In the Indianapolis metropolitan area there’s a 16.8 (year) life expectancy drop from our neighbors in Hamilton County,” said Deanna Reinoso, M.D., medical director of social determinants of health at Eskenazi Health. “We are exploring creative ways to narrow the life expectancy gap so that everyone in our community who needs it has access to maternal health care that will help them live a long and healthy life.”
The second initiative, Mothers Get a Lyft, focuses on transportation barriers faced by Far Eastside residents near East 38th Street and Post Road. The program will support expectant mothers from pregnancy confirmation through postpartum recovery and infant wellness. Participants will be paired with a community health worker who will help coordinate care, schedule appointments, provide health education and support individual goals and preferences.
Services include Lyft rides to health care appointments and $1 transportation to SNAP-eligible grocery stores through Indy Hunger Network programming. The program will begin by engaging the Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek medical team to identify expectant mothers who meet eligibility requirements. Funding for Mothers Get a Lyft is provided by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and Cummins.
According to a 2023 study by the Indiana Department of Health and Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana ranked third worst in the nation for maternal mortality, attributed to negative outcomes in early pregnancy care, prenatal care deserts and disparities experienced throughout the maternal health process.
Both programs are expected to launch within the two identified health engagement zones in the coming months.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
