A Continuum of Care: Leveraging Social Support in the Service of Improving Postnatal Outcomes

In partnership with the community organization, Maternal Advocates Resource Alliance (MARA), researchers at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community Center worked to implement a social support model to strengthen access to quality postnatal care in Monroe County, with potential for replication throughout the Uplands region in Brown, Greene, Lawrence, and Owen counties. This community impact project and its evaluation developed and implemented community support to address specific leverage points that have a direct bearing on women's health outcomes and those of their children. This pilot project used collaborative evaluation research to inform the design and implementation of a community-based postnatal intervention. Community and faith-based organizations participated in trainings that equip community volunteers with tools, education, and training to provide non-clinical social support to parents during the postnatal period.