Community Initiatives
Maternity Outreach and Mobilization (MOM) Project
The MOM Project, a home visiting program to support new and expectant parents, is one of 56 Healthy Families Indiana (HFI) sites and meets Healthy Families America (HFA) standards. With 34 staff members from diverse cultural, language, and educational backgrounds, the project is well-equipped to meet the wide-ranging needs of families.
The project is largely funded by the Indiana State Department of Child Services. An integral part of the community, its Community Advisory Board meets quarterly, and corporate sponsors support an annual Zoo Day for families. Currently, the MOM Project is participating in a multi-site research study to examine the effect of group support services on low-income couples’ relationships and parenting skills.
Educating the Community
Over seven thousand four hundred home visits were made to 779 families between July 1, 2005, and June 15, 2006. All services are voluntary and begin either in the prenatal period or after birth. Home visiting is offered for three months after birth and may continue until the child is three years old, depending on available resources and the needs and interests of the family. Overall goals include:
- Enhancing parent-child relationships,
- Promoting healthy child growth and development, and
- Encouraging self-sufficiency and problem solving.
Services are tailored to each family and built upon trusting, respectful, and culturally sensitive relationships. Families are linked to community resources, including health and social service agencies, and work closely with the faith community to address health in a holistic manner.
Educating Nursing Students
The MOM Project provides community experience opportunities for undergraduate and graduate School of Nursing students as well as pediatric medical residents from the IU School of Medicine. It hosts students fulfilling various requirements, including:
- Service learning
- Community health
- Capstone clinicals
- Research and leadership practicum
It also serves as an internship site for social work and public health graduate students.
Contact Us
Ann Johnson, MSN, RN
Program Manager
(317) 274-3216
annjohn [at] iupui [dot] edu
Joanne Martin, DrPH, FAAN
Director
(317) 274-4419
jbmartin [at] iupui [dot] edu
