St. Bernards Maternal Life360 HOME Program Begins Accepting Clients in Lawrence County
St. Bernards Healthcare announced the launch of its third Maternal Life360 HOME program, now serving Lawrence County. This expansion follows the successful establishment of the healthcare system’s programs in Craighead County more than a year ago and Greene County in December.
The Maternal Life360 HOME program provides comprehensive care for women enrolled in Medicaid who experience high-risk pregnancies. By collaborating with the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) and Parents as Teachers, St. Bernards delivers essential in-home prenatal and postpartum services for up to two years after birth. The initiative focuses on improving maternal health outcomes while addressing social needs such as food security and housing.
A Data-Driven Mission
Arkansas currently faces significant maternal and infant health challenges. The expansion into Lawrence County is a direct effort to address the following statistics:
Infant Mortality: Arkansas has the second-highest infant-mortality rate in the U.S. at 8.22 deaths per 1,000 live births. Looking at bordering states, this figure compares with 5.83 in Texas, 6.12 in Missouri, 6.48 in Tennessee, 7.12 in Oklahoma and 7.14 in Louisiana. Only Mississippi fares worse at 8.94.
Maternal Mortality: Arkansas has the fourth-highest rate in the U.S. at 38.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. Meanwhile, the national average is more than 15 points lower at 23.2.
Preterm Birth Rate: Arkansas recently received an “F” grade from the March of Dimes with a 12.1 percent preterm birth rate. This figure ranks sixth worst in the U.S. and above the national rate of 10.4.
Prenatal Care: Approximately 20.3 percent of births in Arkansas involve inadequate prenatal care, well above the national rate of 16.1 percent.
Emily McGee, St. Bernards Vice President for Nursing and Women’s & Children’s Services, said St. Bernards began providing prenatal care in Lawrence County in June of 2023 through its Pregnancy Clinics. She said that adding a Maternal Life360 HOME program will help their team serve even more families.
"The Maternal Life360 HOME program has allowed us to provide continuity of care to over 60 growing families in Craighead County," McGee said. "Now, we feel blessed to expand this depth of prenatal and postpartum care to our patients in Greene and Lawrence counties. Our calling is to serve them however and wherever we can. Ultimately, our vision is to have a program wherever we have a pregnancy or women’s health clinic."
Strengthening the State Safety Net
Currently, four Maternal Life360 HOME programs receive DHS funding. In addition to St. Bernards, DHS maintains partnerships with Baptist Health Medical Centers in Little Rock and North Little Rock as well as White River Health in Batesville. DHS is also working with three additional hospitals to add programs in the near future.
Elizabeth Pitman, DHS Division of Medical Services Director, shared her perspective on the program's growth.
"The Life360 HOME initiative is a cornerstone of our strategy to improve maternal health outcomes throughout the state,” Pitman said. “We are pleased with the success St. Bernards has achieved in Craighead County and are excited to see this vital support reach families in Greene and Lawrence counties. By addressing health and social needs together, these programs can save the lives of pregnant women and their infants. We value the partnership of St. Bernards and our other providers as we work to build this life-saving infrastructure across Arkansas."
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