MomsFirst Program

MOMSFIRST: CLEVELAND’S FREE OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT WOMEN IS AVAILABLE AT MERRICK HOUSE

Let’s face it, being pregnant can be challenging. It can be especially overwhelming if you don’t feel you have the right resources or health information needed to properly manage your pregnancy. Merrick House is here to help. We offer women the support they need to increase their chances of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby through MomsFirst, a unique outreach program for expectant mothers, sponsored by the City of Cleveland.

Whether this is your first pregnancy or not, you will be provided with a Community Health Worker who is specially trained to provide home visits and support services. While all pregnancies are different, your Community Health Worker will:

Help you find a doctor for you and your baby
Help you get to the doctor for your checkups
Connect you to any medical or social services you need
Provide answers to questions you may have about prenatal care, baby care, birth control, and family planning

To qualify, you must:

Live in Cleveland
Be pregnant (up to 33 weeks)
Be at high risk of having problems during your pregnancy, such as little or no prenatal care, need transportation or supportive services, food or medical insurance

All MomsFirst Services are FREE!

To get more information or to sign up for the MomsFirst program at Merrick House, which serves the west side of Cleveland, call Tiffany Ashley, MomsFirst Case Manager, at 216.771.5077 ext. 110.

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Pregnant Teenagers

If you are a pregnant teen, MomsFirst can help educate you about pregnancy and other health-related issues, as well as help you get child care and other social services so you can stay in school and graduate.

IN JAIL, A REHAB PROGRAM, OR LIVING IN A SHELTER?

MomsFirst can assist with health and social service needs, parenting classes, reuniting with your children, and community re-entry.

MONTHLY MOMSFIRST EDUCATIONAL SERIES

Each month, Merrick House hosts a MomsFirst Consortium for pregnant women that is open to the public. This is a free educational event with speakers who present topics such as Safe Sleep, Breastfeeding, Family Planning, and more. Fathers are encouraged to attend as this is a great opportunity to learn important parenting skills. Visit our Calendar of Events for dates and times.

DID YOU KNOW THAT CLEVELAND’S INFANT PREMATURITY AND MORTALITY RATES ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN OUR NATION?

Arm yourself with these alarming facts and put the MomsFirst program to work for you and your baby now to increase the likelihood of delivering a healthy baby.

Fact: In 2016, Cleveland’s infant mortality rate was 10.2. This means for every 1,000 babies born, approximately 10 did not reach their first birthday. For MomsFirst participants who actively participated in the MomsFirst program that same year, the rate was 5.4, demonstrating the impact that the program has had.

Fact: Sadly in Cleveland, as well as across the country, African American babies are 2.5 times more likely to die before reaching their first birthday than white babies.

Fact: There are three leading causes of infant mortality:

1. Preterm labor
2. Birth defects
3. Sleep-related (caused by the way babies are placed to sleep)