OVERVIEW
The
MIHOW philosophy is organizing and serving the community
from the inside out, that is, using local people.
— MIHOW
Site Leader
The
Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW) Program has
a powerful yet practical mission — to
stimulate the birth and growth of low-cost, parent-to-parent
interventions that improve health and child development
for low-income families.
Using
local women as its primary staff, MIHOW is a partnership
between the Vanderbilt
University Center for Health Services (CHS) and community-based
organizations in five states:
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and
West Virginia. These local women —
mothers who are trusted locally for their energy, integrity,
compassion, and commitment to their community —
visit pregnant women and families with young children up
to three years of age in their home to promote healthy living
and self-sufficiency. Leading by example, they listen to
parents' concerns, educate them about nutrition, health
and children's development, model positive parenting practices,
and provide links to medical and social services. Because
these workers come from the same background as the families
they serve, they are role models throughout the community
for families held back by poverty, low self-esteem, and
isolation.
Goals
- To improve prenatal care
- To improve birthweight
- To improve infant care
- To improve family dynamics
- To improve parenting skills
- To improve child development
- To improve life skills
- To improve community development
Components
- Home Visits
- Case management and advocacy
- Parent education
- Role modeling for positive parent-child interaction
- Health and developmental screening
- Information and referral
- Peer support groups
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