DSHS implements and collaborates in several efforts
related to improving maternal health in Texas.
Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task
Force
The Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task
Force began its work in late 2014 with administrative and epidemiologic support
from DSHS. The multidisciplinary Task Force studies and reviews maternal death
cases and statewide data trends, as well as makes recommendations impacting
maternal mortality in Texas. More information and the latest Task Force reports
can be found the Maternal
Mortality and Morbidity Task Force webpage.
Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology
One of Maternal and Child Health
Epidemiology’s (MCH-Epi) core functions is scientific research. This critical
work informs and drives all prevention programming aimed at reducing maternal
mortality and morbidity. MCH-Epi also has a role in producing reports and
publications on maternal health, which can be found on the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
Publications and Presentations
webpage.
Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
The Pregnancy Risk Assessment
Monitoring System is a survey designed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to identify and monitor health behaviors before, during, and
after pregnancy through a survey of women who have recently given birth. DSHS administers
the survey in Texas, and uses this information to gauge where education and
awareness efforts are needed.
Someday Starts Now
Someday Starts
Now is a public health awareness campaign that targets women of childbearing
age and their families. The program promotes the importance of pre- and
inter-conception health, as well as healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent
chronic conditions known to adversely affect maternal health including obesity,
diabetes, hypertension, and smoking.
Preconception Peer Educators
The Preconception Peer Education Program (PPE) is a national
Office of Minority Health initiative to reduce infant mortality in the African
American community. Young men and women are trained on a peer-educator model to
educate peers and members of their community on the importance of preconception
health, seeking regular preventive care, having a reproductive life plan, and
the impact of social determinants of health on their wellbeing.
DSHS through the Maternal and Child Health Section leads
establishment of the PPE program in Texas in collaboration with the University
of North Texas Health Science Center, by engaging the 9 Texas Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for implementation of the PPE program.
This includes establishing infrastructure for the program in the respective
campuses to ensure sustainability, as well as conduct orientation and training
events to students and campus advisors. More information can be found on the Office of
Minority Health Webpage.
Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies
The
Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies (TCHMB) is a perinatal
quality collaborative that is supported through a Title V-funded contract with
the University of Texas. TCHMB advances health care quality and patient safety
for mothers, and meets quarterly to address emerging issues related to maternal
health outcomes.
DSHS Breastfeeding Support Program
The DSHS
Breastfeeding Support Program is a multi-component program to reduce barriers
to breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity and to support the
healthy practice of breastfeeding. DSHS leads several efforts, and also
partners with Texas WIC and other programs to encourage adoption of
best-practice breastfeeding support strategies in health care, employment, and community settings. Learn more about breastfeeding benefits,
barriers and recommendations in the Texas
Department of State Health Services Infant Feeding Position Statement and at texasmotherfriendly.org.
Smoking Cessation
DSHS participates
in initiatives to increase referrals to the Texas Quitline, which, in part, offers
confidential phone and web counseling services and resources to decrease
smoking among women of childbearing age and reduce maternal smoking.
Collaboration and
Partnerships
The work of the DSHS Maternal and Child Health
program is advanced through collaboration and partnerships with many national
and state agencies, organizations, and universities. The goal of these collaborations
is to harness the expertise of multidisciplinary professionals who share an
interest in helping to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas.
A prime example of this collaboration is the Maternal
Mortality Forum that was held in partnership with the Texas Medical Association.
More information on the forum can be found on Texas Medical Association website.