Caring for 2—a federal program for mothers and infants at risk

It gives me pleasure to report on a federal health/poverty/race program that actually is meeting its goals—Caring for 2.  I’d never heard of it, but came across the name on the list of referrals we use at the Pregnancy Decision Health Center where I volunteer.

http://publichealth.columbus.gov/uploadedFiles/Public_Health/Content_Editors/Maternal_Health/Caring_for_2/Caringfor2_update_1pager_2011.pdf

Caring for 2 began in 1991 as part of Healthy Start with 15 test sites, and now has 105, two in Ohio, Columbus and Cleveland. Although I don’t believe it began as a race based program, it is now limited to African Americans, and in Columbus to specific zip codes. The mission was to reduce the high infant mortality rate; in Columbus this has certainly been successful (for those enrolled) with the infant mortality rate below the national average.

There seems to be a recent push to include fathers in the program (NHSA’s Where Dads Matter fatherhood program begun in 2007).  Who knew?  Actually the number one advantage for a poor or low income child is to have married parents. That and a job for dad, any job, will provide those parents with the opportunity to leave poverty behind.  No government program makes that kind of promise.

I can’t find anything current under Healthy Start that specifically funds promoting fatherhood, but did find a page of links.  It is mentioned in the national annual report, but is definitely a step child added during the Bush years. http://fatherhood.gov/for-programs/federal-programs-and-resources

California’s program includes a piece specifically for “dads” but marriage doesn’t seem to be a part of that. In fact, it’s not even mentioned as the biggest guarantee that a child won’t grow up in poverty. http://www.healthycal.org/archives/10425

Here is a state by state update on what is happening. Despite the success rate, or perhaps because of it, I was disappointed to read how some programs are being watered down with other issues, like fighting racism, because there are so many other avenues for that, and success has been dramatic by focusing on health and coordinating community resources already available.

http://www.nationalhealthystart.org/site/assets/docs/NHSA_SavingBabiesPub_2ndED.pdf

Healthy Start is currently funded at just under $105 million and authorized through 2013. Healthy Start was first established as a pilot program by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. The last reauthorization of the program passed Congress in 2008 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 3, 2008. The fatherhood component was added under GW Bush.