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The Nurture KC team gathered for our annual strategic planning meeting this month, setting our goals for 2024. As we reviewed progress on last year’s plan, it was apparent that a look back on accomplishments and lessons learned is as necessary to organizational growth as our forward-looking plan for 2024. In that spirit, here is the year in review for Nurture KC.
Healthy Start graduated 55 participants in September, marking an 18-month journey through our program, culminating in this celebration of our time together and unbridled hope for the futures of these kiddos. Our doula program, providing doula services to Healthy Start moms through the prenatal, delivery and postpartum period, continues to gain steam as we enter our second year. Fifty-four moms have been referred to doulas with 35 receiving services. Our second phase of the doula project included training three Healthy Start community health workers as doulas, enhancing the services they provide to families. One of our Healthy Start participants has also received doula training, compliments of Nurture KC and hopes to pursue this calling professionally. In partnership with University Health, we were able to offer 25 families fresh produce each month along with recipes and nutrition information as we continue a mindset of wellness.
Mid America Immunization Coalition (MAIC) continued a leadership role in education and advocacy, commissioning a vaccination primer, Vaccinations in Kansas, produced by the Kansas Health Institute. Nurture KC staff developed a companion publication titled Understanding Vaccines as we continue our push to provide evidence-based facts in the face of anti-vaccine misinformation. 400 Kansas Citians received flu shots via our 8 community clinics last fall.
Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) continued our hospital safe sleep certification initiative, awarding 6 metro hospitals the Nurturing Safe Sleep award. Prior to our leadership, only 2 Kansas City hospitals had this certification. FIMR staff also co-authored a safe sleep publication in partnership with the Missouri Hospital Association as a guide for clinical providers.
Postpartum extended Medicaid coverage was achieved in Missouri, an effort that Nurture KC participated in as a vital piece in improving maternal and infant health. Finally, Nurture KC launched a podcast in 2023, allowing us to go deeper on issues and programs of interest.
Thank you for your steadfast support in 2023 as we continue this momentum into 2024!
Tracy Russell
Executive Director, Nurture KC
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