NR 443 Week 3 Discussion – Caring for Vulnerable Populations

NR 443 Week 3 Discussion – Caring for Vulnerable Populations

Vulnerable populations rely heavily upon their community for almost every aspect of wellbeing. Assurance means that community resources are adequate to address the needs of such populations incapable of managing their own safety. Providing populations facing health disparities with access to resources goes beyond simply knowing where resources are –careful assessment using the 4 A’s identified in this week’s lesson. Determining the acceptability, affordability, availability, &  accessibility of resources is individualized for each subpopulation as well as each individual (CCN, 2065).

Helping Mary find effective resources during her pregnancy is essential to the care of both the mother & her baby. “The health of the mother before, during, & after pregnancy has a direct impact on the health & well-being of her child. The conditions that surround a child’s fetal development & early years shape his or her life” (Neis & McEwen, 2015).

Portage County Help Me Grow is committed to supporting & educating families with children from birth to age three with developmental delays. Support & education is provided through service coordination, early intervention & home visiting. Both early Intervention & Home Visiting provide families with links to community resources & services. Information can be accessed on the Portage County website, the Ohio Department of Health website, & at www.helpmegrow.ohio.gov/. This service could be beneficial to Mary because it provides free home visits, family-focused services & support to first-time pregnant women & to families with young children. This service can be very beneficial to Mary providing free home visits to assist her to get her home ready for a newborn & providing needed resources.

NR 443 Week 3 Discussion – Caring for Vulnerable Populations

Coleman Professional Services has two Portage County offices that provide Behavioral Health Services & services for expecting mothers. The Pregnancy Center is a one-stop pregnancy resource & crisis intervention center for those concerned about their expected or unexpected pregnancy. The services at this facility include free prenatal, nutritional wellness checks, budgeting assistance, job-seeking skills assistance, material assistance (diapers, baby clothing, baby blankets), emotional support & coping skills, assessment of needs related to the pregnancy, & the development of a Pregnancy Care Plan. This is another great service that can assist Mary during her pregnancy. Coleman Services will provide Mary with a pregnancy advocate that will help her with referrals & linkages for health care, food assistance, transportation & childcare.

Catholic Charities First Step program addresses the social support needs of expectant women & families. First Step provides parents with material assistance, case management, community referrals, parenting skills, & child safety kits. Along with Coleman Professional Services, this program can help Mary establish a plan for short-term economic security & assist & support her in the development of a long-term self-sufficiency plan.

InfantSEE is a public health program managed by Optometry Cares, designed to ensure that eye & vision care becomes an essential part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. Participating optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 & 12 months of age as a no-cost public service. A link to this service is also available on the Portage County Health Department website & the Ohio Department of Health. This is a free service that Mary can take advantage of once the infant is born. Mary will probably be referred to this service if she uses the Help Me Grow Program or the Coleman Professional Services.

United Way of Greater Portage County provides free-of-charge information & referral services to all Portage County residents. United Way’s 2-1-1 Portage, information & referral service connects families & individuals in Portage County with community resources & services in the areas of health, education & income. This is just a general way that Mary can connect with the services she will need during her pregnancy. I believe the first three programs I provide here will be more than sufficient & cover all the bases during her pregnancy. If she chooses to use United Way for further assistance, she can contact them using the 2-1-1 contact number or use http://www.unitedwayofportage.com.

 

References

Catholic Charities Diocese of Youngstown. (2016). First Step Center for Pregnancy & Family Support/Child Safety Kits. Retrieved from http://ccdoy.org/about-us/

Chamberlain College of Nursing/CCN. (2016). Week 3 lesson: Caring for vulnerable populations [Online Lesson]. Downers Grove, IL: DeVry Education Group

Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2015). Community/Public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.

Ohio Department of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.odh.ohio.gov/

Portage County Health Department. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.co.portage.oh.us/pchd/ United Way. (n.d.). 211 Portage.Retrieved fromhttp://www.uwportage.org/211- portage

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NR 443 Week 3 Discussion – Caring for Vulnerable Populations

Review the Week 3 Case Study that may be found in Doc Sharing.

Assurance is one of the three core functions of public health. Find a resource in your community (other than WIC) that could assist Mary during her pregnancy. Start by searching the Internet for your local health department’s website. What services do they provide for pregnant women? What about your local welfare office? Do they provide prenatal or mental health services? Are there any service organizations, crisis pregnancy centers, or churches providing help for pregnant women?

Briefly describe the types of services that you.

Choose one agency & assess this agency in terms of the 4. Is it accessible, acceptable, affordable, or available for Mary or other pregnant women that you case-manage?