MDHHS is currently pursuing initiatives to improve the health and well-being of low-income pregnant women, mothers, and their infants. The Youth Policy Lab, will assist MDHHS in two important pieces of this work. First, MDHHS is undertaking a Pay for Success (PFS) project with Spectrum Health to expand the Strong Beginnings (SB) program, which provides home visitation and other wraparound services to high-risk pregnant and new mom. A part of the PFS project, SB will be subject to an evaluation to determine the impact of the program on two metrics: the incidence rate of pre-term birth, and the incidence rate of rapid repeat pregnancy. The Lab will serve as an adviser to the state to provide guidance on the draft evaluation plan that is created by Michigan State University (MSU) who is the evaluator for the SB program. The Lab will also serve as a validator for the state to certify that MSU properly followed the methodology described in the evaluation plan for the outcomes associated with the first cohort. In addition to the PFS project, MDHHS is interested in exploring other initiatives to improve the outcomes of high-risk mothers and children, including another potential Pay for Success project with Nurse Family Partnership and a redesign of the states referral system for maternal health programs. As part of this scope of work, the Lab may work with MDHHS to identify, design, and implement these and other promising initiatives.
Funding:
Michigan, State of, Health and Human Services, Department of
Funding Period:
10/01/2023 to 09/30/2024