Health disparities continue to affect maternal outcomes in underserved communities. These disparities—differences in health outcomes between groups—are often rooted in social inequities such as poverty, limited access to preventive care, lack of transportation, language barriers, and unequal quality of services. These factors can lead to avoidable illness, complications, and even death among women of color and other marginalized populations.
The elevateHER Community Support Program addresses these disparities by providing wraparound support through patient navigators and community health workers (CHWs). Together, they help expectant and postpartum mothers overcome barriers to care and build trust between patients and providers.
- Patient Navigators work within the clinic to bridge the gap between patients and providers. They help patients schedule and attend primary and specialty appointments, clarify care plans, and connect families to community resources. The navigator team reflects the community we serve and ensures accessibility by offering support in a range of languages. Some of our patient navigators speak Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu, Nepalese, French, and more, helping patients feel understood and supported throughout their care.
- Community Health Workers (CHWs) extend this support into the home. They provide direct assistance with health-related social needs (HRSN)—such as housing, food security, and transportation—that impact a woman’s ability to follow her care plan. By visiting patients where they live, CHWs strengthen the bond between families and the healthcare system, ensuring that women and their babies have the resources they need to thrive.
Through community support, elevateHER addresses the root causes of inequities and ensures that every woman—especially those most at risk—has the opportunity for safe, supported, and healthy outcomes.
