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City health staff report expansion of mother-visiting program and community blood-pressure clinics
Summary
Lynn public-health staff reported launching a North Shore mother-visiting program with seven visits so far, and expanding blood-pressure clinics at community sites; staff described referral partnerships with Salem Hospital and plans for community outreach during Public Health Week.
Public-health staff updated the Lynn Board of Health on two community programs at the March 4 meeting: a newly launched North Shore mother-visiting program and ongoing blood-pressure screening clinics.
Kitzia (public health nurse) described the mother-visiting program as a referral-based service for parents who gave birth in the past year. The program offers a one-time home or in-person visit with community resources and a “goodie bag” that can include diapers, wipes, a board book and snacks; staff also provide referrals for additional services when needed. Kitzia said the program launched at the end of last year in partnership with North Shore Medical Center at Salem Hospital and has completed seven visits to date. She said the team is developing referral and escalation pathways for families needing additional services, and that she has undertaken extra training, including lactation-consultant training, to support the program.
Kitzia also reported the department has started regular blood-pressure clinics at the Council on Aging and other community sites. The clinics include blood-pressure measurement and a short social-determinants-of-health screening and are scheduled roughly monthly (a Tuesday and the first Friday of the month in the current schedule) with plans to expand partner referrals to community health centers for ongoing care. Staff said the clinics drew about 13 participants at a recent session and that training partnerships with local allied-health programs may provide additional capacity.
Board members asked about equipment and material support for families, including car seats and cribs. Staff said they would investigate available grants and partner resources — including fire-department car-seat programs and other local sources — to assist families in need. The board noted public-health week events planned for April and directed staff to share the finalized schedule with the board.
Why it matters: The programs expand access to postnatal support and basic cardiovascular screening in community settings, and staff signaled plans to deepen partnerships with hospitals, community health centers and allied-health education programs to build capacity.
