Source: LRHC
GEORGETOWN, DEL. – La Red Health Center (LRHC) recently launched its project known as the Maternal Outreach and Mobile Services: Advancing Health for Rural Delaware Families (MOMS) in Southern Delaware.
The project includes a collaborative made up of La Red Health Center, Beebe Healthcare, TidalHealth, Rehoboth Community Resource Center, Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH).
The MOMS project focuses on utilizing doulas, community health outreach workers and La Red’s mobile health unit to reach women and families who have traditionally lacked the resources to access family planning or early prenatal care in southern Delaware.
The goal is to educate women and connect them to care prior to a pregnancy or early during a pregnancy or post-partum as a means of improving outcomes for mothers and their children.
“Far too many women in Southern Delaware have difficulty accessing women’s health care services,” said Rachel Hersh, CEO of La Red Health Center. “Some of the reasons are as simple as a lack of transportation. Ensuring that all women have the opportunity to receive care, but also care that is well-coordinated will only help improve outcomes for Delaware women. Ultimately, that will lead to healthier communities, which benefits us all.”
The MOMS team earlier this month visited a property managed by the DSHA, Hickory Tree in Selbyville.
“Part of our mission at DSHA is to provide our public housing residents with resources and access to services, from financial education to job training and health literacy. We have long recognized the benefit of having La Red visit our sites, and we are very excited for this partnership that will bring targeted services for women and families,” said DSHA Director Matthew Heckles.
The MOMS team also visited collaborative partner Rehoboth Community Resource Center in Rehoboth earlier this month. Those inaugural visits connected 21 women to care.
“Our clients often lack transportation and the means to make it to critical health care appointments,” said Nancy Alexander, executive director of the Rehoboth Community Resource Center. “Many of the women we see need prenatal or postpartum care. This program fills a community need and we are proud to support it.”
In 2024, the March of Dimes assigned Delaware a D+ for its high number of preterm births. The number of preterm births in Kent County rose to 11.3% in 2024, as Sussex County’s preterm birth rate remained high at 10.2%. Delaware’s infant mortality rate at 6.1% also exceeds the national average, according to the March of Dimes, with rates being highest amongst African American and Hispanic women. Provider shortages and transportation issues feed into the problem.
TidalHealth and Beebe Healthcare are two Sussex County hospital systems participating in the MOMS program. Both hospitals routinely work with La Red Health Center to coordinate care.
“Population health means building systems that support moms, protect babies and strengthen communities — together, through initiatives like MOMS,” said Kathryn Fiddler, DNP, vice president of Population Health at TidalHealth.
Those sentiments were shared by Beebe executives.
“We know that when care is easier to reach, families are more likely to get the support they need earlier – and that can make a real difference for both moms and babies,” said Bridget Buckaloo, RN, Executive Director of Women’s and Children’s Service at Beebe Healthcare. “This program is a powerful example of partners coming together to improve access, reduce inequities, and connect women to care in a way that’s practical and respectful of real-life barriers. It’s innovative, community-focused work, and I’m proud to see it happening here and for Beebe to be a part of the solution alongside these excellent healthcare partners.”
The MOMs team will be visiting the following locations in May:
• Clarks Corner, Harrington, May 13th at 11 am to 4:30 pm
• Laverty Lane, Bridgeville, May 27 at 11 am to 4:30 pm
The project is made possible through funding provided by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
La Red Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Sussex County, Delaware, dedicated to providing affordable, comprehensive primary and preventative healthcare services to residents, including those who are uninsured or underinsured. La Red offers primary health care, pediatrics, women’s health services, behavioral health services at its three locations in Milford, Seaford and Georgetown. La Red also offers dental services at its Milford and Georgetown locations. For more information about La Red Health Center visit www.laredhealthcenter.org.
