|
History
Parent to Parent (P2P) was originally funded in 1991 by the U.S. Department of Medical Security under the Labor Shortage Initiative to reduce infant mortality and morbidity rates in Boston neighborhoods. The primary goal was to employ neighborhood residents with parenting experience to act as perinatal outreach workers.
The original P2P training plan included up to 144 hours of course work with a simultaneous one-year internship at local health centers. Trainees "graduated" from the training program and were generally hired by the centers where they interned. Additional training was offered on skill development and job placement to increase the outreach workers’ capacity to provide services while improving their own job acquisition skills. Many trainees may not have otherwise had access to vocational training or skill development programs.
The Need
Infant mortality rates in Boston’s poor and minority neighborhoods are disproportionately high. Women and children in these communities often lack access to prenatal care, prevention health services, proper nutrition, community supports, and social services. All of these factors influence health outcomes for infants and young children.
Many barriers exist that can prevent women and mothers from getting the care they need including lack of childcare, distrust or fear of medical professionals, language or cultural differences, and financial issues. P2P strives to remove barriers to health care by improving access to resources women need to care for themselves and their families. P2P also provides training and information on parenting skills, accessing employment, and accessing social services.
The Program
P2P is a partnership between Tufts Medical Center and program sites in the Dorchester and Chinatown neighborhoods of Boston and Quincy. The primary goal of P2P is to reduce infant mortality and morbidity by improving access to health care for pregnant women and their children. P2P redefines prenatal care to include social services, education and advocacy. Maternal and child health outreach workers are trained to provide access to social supports and medical services for pregnant women, mothers and their young children.
P2P outreach workers are working in their community to help pregnant women and new mothers get the care they need. They are from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and many are bilingual. Each outreach worker is based at a program site and can provide the following services:
- Referrals to social services and pre-and post-natal care
- Parenting skills training and health education
- Interpretation and translation services
- Advocacy on issues related to health care, housing, insurance, transportation, child care, state and federal programs, and community supports
- Coordination of services
P2P Program Sites
Our centers are located in neighborhoods affected by high rates of infant mortality. Most offer comprehensive care for adults, teens and children including prenatal care, OB/GYN services, family planning and health education, social and mental health services, substance abuse counseling, nutrition counseling, and women’s health.
Boston Asian: Youth Essential Service (Y.E.S.)
199 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617-482-4243
Boston Health Care for the Homeless
780 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118
Phone: 857-654-1000
Codman Square Health Center
637 Washington Street
Dorchester, MA 02124
Phone: 617-825-9660
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02124
Phone: 617-288-3230
Neponset Health Center
398 Neponset Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02122
Phone: 617-282-3200
La Alianza Hispana
409 Dudley Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
Phone: 617-427-7175
Uphams Corner Health Center
500 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125
Phone: 617-287-8000
For more information, contact:
Beverly Wing, Program Consultant
Community Health Improvement Programs
Tufts Medical Center
800 Washington Street, Box 116
Boston, MA 02111
617-636-8881
bwing@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
Community Health Programs Home
|