Promoting Healthy Outcomes During Pregnancy and Beyond: The Role of Community and Social Service Providers

This book provides essential knowledge and tools for home visitors and other parent-facing professionals to build trusting relationships with pregnant and postpartum clients, in order to provide them with the information, guidance, resources, and signposting they need to avoid adverse health outcomes. Adverse health outcomes as a result of pregnancy and birth affect millions each year, affecting physical and mental health – and in some cases resulting in death. Due to bias and persistent socioeconomic disparities, certain groups are more at risk for these poor outcomes.

Sitting within a social determinants of health framework, this practical guide summarizes the most relevant research and translates it into action steps. Each chapter will address a key issue related to morbidity and mortality in relation to pregnancy and birth, including statistics, key definitions, and discussion of risk factors, protective factors and disparities. Case studies, reflective questions, and recommendations make it straightforward for the reader to apply the learning to their own practice.

This book is an invaluable resource for all those health, community, and social service providers, including home visitors, who work with families, parents to be, and new parents.

Christina F. Mondi, PhD, is Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, USA; Lead Researcher and Evaluator at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA; and Affiliate Faculty in Global Health at Boston Children’s Hospital, USA. She is a licensed psychologist and a preschool mental health consultant. Across domains, her work focuses on community – and school-based initiatives that support the mental health and well-being of young children and families.

Joanne Roberts, PhD, MBA, is Co-Director of Research and Evaluation at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of early education and care, including research and consultative expertise related to both practice and policy. She has particular expertise in program quality evaluation and has worked extensively across diverse early childhood education programs, including community-based center care and family childcare.

Lindsey Sagasta, M.S.ED, MPH, is Child and Youth Violence Prevention Epidemiologist at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, USA. Her background includes experience in early childhood education as well as serving as a research and evaluation coordinator at Brazelton Touchpoints Center. Drawing on her extensive experience supporting initiatives in childhood development, violence prevention, and maternal morbidity and mortality, she aims to transform data into public health strategies that empower children, families, and communities to thrive.

Lindsey Boyer, MS, is a Research Coordinator at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center. She began her career as a pre-kindergarten teacher and has since dedicated her time to supporting children and families outside of the classroom. Her experience includes providing technical assistance and evaluation services to family-facing providers, ranging from home visitors to early childhood educators. She is excited to continue to collaborate with Parents as Teachers in promoting maternal and infant well-being.

Jillian Brashear, MPH, is a Research Coordinator at Brazelton Touchpoints Center. As part of the research and evaluation team, she supports community-based research projects focused on improving health outcomes and program quality from the perinatal period through early childhood. With a background in epidemiology and maternal and child health, she is passionate about the intersection of data and storytelling to address the social determinants of health affecting families and communities.

Allison Kemner, MPH, is Chief Research Officer and Senior Vice President at the Parents as Teachers National Center, USA. She directs the Parents as Teachers Research Council and collaborates with a network of researchers and university partners to conduct research, evaluation, and learning on the Parents as Teachers evidence-based home visiting model. She oversees data collection, analysis, and dissemination; guiding quality assurance, continuous improvement, and model innovation.

Sondra Horowitz, MA, is Senior Director of Quality Improvement at the Parents as Teachers National Center, USA. In this role, she oversees the organization’s Quality Endorsement and Improvement Process and works on a variety of initiatives dedicated to translating home visiting research into practice.

Lindsey Shah, MSW, LCSW, is the Director of Content and Curricula at Parents as Teachers National Center. Her work focuses on providing high quality, research-based information, strategies, and tools to support family engagement and home visiting professionals across the county. She is the lead author on Parents as Teachers publication Engaged: Building Intentional Partnerships with Families. Her previous experiences include roles that focus on mental health, both in education and pediatric emergency room settings.

Abigail Edwards, MPH, currently serves as Research and Data Specialist II at Parents as Teachers National Center, USA. In this role, she helps guide the organization’s research and learning initiatives, including a project integrating doula services within the evidence-based home visiting model.

Kerry Caverly, MPH, is Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer at the Parents as Teachers National Center, USA. She oversees the coordination, integration, and delivery of all programs, contracts and related services, promoting collaborative relationships between Parents as Teachers National Center program areas. She also oversees the expansion and model replication and training, curriculum, and program development departments of Parents as Teachers.

Catherine Ayoub, EdD, MN, is Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School; Co-Director of Research and Evaluation and Director of Mental Health Consultation Services at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA. She is a licensed psychologist and nurse practitioner with 40 years of experience and 180 publications. Her primary interest is introducing and evaluating practice innovations to improve the care and life course of young children and families.