NYITCOM’s Delta Population Health Institute Hosts Maternal Health Learning & Care Communities

JONESBORO, AR – A year ago, West Memphis native Omega Mitchell found herself a little overwhelmed as she prepared to become a mother for the first time.

Thanks in large part to the resources and education she received through a program led by NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Delta Population Health Institute (DPHI), Mitchell and her seven-month old son are both thriving.

“There were so many things I just didn’t know about becoming a mom,” Mitchell said. “The program taught me how to talk to my OB/GYN about how I’m feeling to get answers to help me care for myself and my son. I learned to advocate for myself better. I’m so glad I was able to go to the program.”

May is officially recognized as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, and in accordance, NYITCOM at A-State’s DPHI launched its latest program to help new and expectant mothers like Mitchell.

The DPHI, which serves as NYITCOM at A-State’s community engagement arm, is hosting Maternal Health Learning and Care Communities in three East Arkansas communities this summer. The first took place on May 9 in Forrest City with 14 participants, six of which are currently pregnant. Events are also planned for Marked Tree and Marvell-Elaine.

The program is led by Dr. Brookshield Laurent and Dr. Adrienne Loftis. Laurent is a family medicine physician who is an NYITCOM at A-State faculty member and the founding director of the DPHI, and Loftis is an OB/GYN and assistant professor of clinical medicine at NYITCOM at A-State.

Two sessions are held at each location, and the physicians cover everything from prenatal care, nutrition, labor and delivery, postpartum health, mental wellness, and newborn care.

“Our goal is to promote health equity by ensuring that every mother, regardless of her zip code, has the tools, knowledge, and support she needs for a healthy pregnancy and postpartum experience,” Laurent said. “That includes empowering these women with physical resources to care for themselves and their child, as well as the education to help them understand how to have conversations with their physician about what they’re feeling and experiencing so they can receive the care they need.”

Participants receive a $50 gift card as an incentive for attending, along with access to car seats, pack ‘n plays, breast pumps, and blood pressure monitoring devices.

“All too often, these mothers don’t have the resources to purchase basic items they need to keep their child safe,” Tiffny Calloway, DPHI’s director of operations, said. “That’s why programs like these are so important, and we’re humbled at the opportunity to lead them.”

In addition to helping new and expectant mothers, the program serves as an invaluable educational experience for NYITCOM at A-State medical students. As part of the school’s population health program, medical students assist in the creation of the curriculum for the events and help conduct the health screenings.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Laurent said. “Our students learn how to lead events like these and the importance of them, and the attendees receive the education and resources that make a significant impact in their journey to and through motherhood.”

Peer support and community building are also key aspects of the program. The DPHI employs a “Community Champion of Health” in each location where the program is held, and those staffers maintain contact with participants between sessions and at the conclusion of the program.

“It’s extremely important for us to provide these women with contacts in their own communities to continue to support them and connect them with the resources they need,” Calloway said. “We’re not just leaving them to fend for themselves after the sessions end. That’s huge.”

This summer’s events mark the second-consecutive year the DPHI has led maternal health education programs. In 2024, the organization launched the initiative with similar events in Jonesboro, Blytheville, and West Memphis. NYITCOM and the DPHI were able to continue the program thanks to a grant from the Arkansas Minority Health Commission.

“The need for health education in rural Arkansas has never been greater, specifically when it comes to mothers and young children,” Laurent said. “We are incredibly grateful not only for the fact that that these needs are being discussed, but also for the organizations who are financially supporting them and helping us address them.”

For dates of upcoming events and for registration information, email deltaphi@nyit.edu or call 870-680-8829.

###

About NYITCOM at Arkansas State University: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, located on A-State’s Jonesboro campus, is dedicated to improving access to health care for the underserved and rural populations in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta Region. Arkansas ranks 48th in overall population health status due to low health indicators including obesity and number of adults who smoke. The state also ranks 46th in the number of active physicians per capita and 39th in the number of primary care physicians. NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016 with the mission of meeting the need for more physicians in this medically underserved area.

About the Delta Population Health Institute: NYITCOM at A-State established the Delta Population Health Institute (DPHI) in 2019 to lead efforts to create cultures of health through education, research, policy engagement, and community engagement. The DPHI believes that health starts where we grow, live, learn, work, and play. Accordingly, the DPHI is committed to cultivating opportunities for health in our families, neighborhoods, schools, and jobs to achieve greater health equity among all people.

press release