April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
CASEWORKER'S PERSPECTIVE
Teens raising children need help from CMS
Teen pregnancy comes with many risks and poor outcomes: a high risk of health problems, poor educational outcomes, increased use of public welfare, repeat pregnancies and child abuse. In Schoharie County, there are no other programs that work with this population, especially as a preventive service.
Schoharie County is very rural and access to services is very difficult. There are long distances to travel for basic needs; major supermarkets are located in Cobleskill. Prenatal care is available in Cobleskill - but, to deliver a baby, a woman must go to Otsego, Montgomery, Schenectady or Albany County.
The terrain is mountainous and our average snowfall in the winter is about 55 to 60 inches. We have extremely high unemployment, with many of the jobs being in retail, agriculture or government. The cost of housing is almost equivalent to apartments in Albany, Troy and Schenectady. We have limited public transportation.
Finally, the town of Schoharie and many outlying areas were destroyed by the recent flooding from Tropical Storms Irene and Lee and their aftermath. This exacerbates the lack of housing, employment and services.
All of these issues make it extremely difficult for our clients to succeed without support.
In Schoharie and Otsego Counties, we teach young parents how to take care of infants and how to be good parents. Having a professional involved through the pregnancy and while the child is young helps the parents learn new skills while they are most impressionable and need support the most.
We work with parents to maintain their health by teaching about healthy eating, helping them get preventive medical care, trying to reduce stress and improving household safety. We encourage young families to finish high school and go on to college.
One young mom I worked with was pregnant and attending a local community college. She was pregnant and alone, and her unborn baby had a genetic disorder that was similar to her own - one that made it difficult for her to walk and speak clearly.
I helped connect her to medical care and provided support during her pregnancy. As a result, her baby was immediately connected with needed services and both mother and baby are doing well.
Community Maternity Services has similar programs in Warren and Washington Counties, Fulton and Montgomery Counties and Herkimer County - but the funding for these programs has been greatly reduced with the cuts to the New York State budget.
One alternative source of funding Community Maternity Services receives is from the Maternity and Early Childhood Foundation (MECF) of Albany, a non-profit agency that supports community-based health and social service agencies in high-need areas of New York State to serve young parents.
The goal is to promote proper prenatal care, improve birth outcomes and support positive parenting. The majority of families served by MECF-funded agencies are living in extreme poverty with unstable housing, lack of transportation and little or no employment.
In spite of the many challenges inherent with my job, I find it very rewarding. I know that supporting parents before and after the birth of a child will help the parents reach their dreams for a better future and help the children grow up in a nurturing home.
(Maureen Blanchard is a case manager for Community Maternity Services of Schoharie County.)
The Maternity and Early Childhood Foundation held a benefit luncheon Nov. 14, honoring Matilda Raffa Cuomo for her work to improve the welfare of families and children. Young mothers served by Community Maternity Services also spoke at the event. Contact MECF at 482-0038 or CMS of Schoharie County at 295-6100.[[In-content Ad]]
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