In a significant boost for maternal and child health, the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) just extended the reach of its Nashville Strong Babies program to encompass all of Davidson County. Designed as an ally for mothers from pregnancy to their baby’s 18th month, this program is now within reach for the entire community, previously targeted at select zip codes with the highest infant mortality rates, according to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.
According to an announcement made last Thursday, the initiative provides vital care coordination, education, and multiple resources dedicated to supporting new and expecting mothers. Scaling up from a localized effort to a county-wide service, it's an attempt to weave a safety net for families across the region. Per the official statement, participants must call Davidson County home to be eligible for this support network.
Offering her perspective on the importance of the program, D’Yuanna Allen-Robb, the Assistant Bureau Director of Population Health at MPHD, highlighted the interconnectedness of well-being across family and community lines. "We know we get strong babies, babies that are born at healthy birth weights and full gestation, when we have strong moms", Allen-Robb said, as per the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. She added, "We get strong moms when we have strong families, communities and policies."
Introduced in 2019, Nashville Strong Babies aimed to tackle the glaring infant mortality figures in seven of Nashville's zip codes. Since the program took wing, it has supported over 1,300 families, and, notably, there were no maternal deaths during this period. A five percent reduction in infant deaths has occurred across Davidson County, bringing a stripe of hope in the continuous battle against infant mortality rates.
Davidson County residents who are interested in the nurturing terrain of the Nashville Strong Babies program should leap in — help is just a phone call away. They can reach out to the Metro Public Health Department's central referral line at 615-880-2187 to get started and become a part of this expanding initiative aimed at fostering robust babies by empowering mothers and, by extension, families.
