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DC Healthy Start
DC General Hospital
1900 Massachusetts Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003

DC Department of Health

Site Description
The DC Healthy Start Project is a federally funded program that focuses on the needs of pregnant and postpartum women and parents with infants. The goal of these efforts is to reduce infant mortality in Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8 in the District of Columbia. Special initiatives funded by this project include the Patient Incentive Program, Case Management, Facilitating Services (transportation), and Education and Training. The project also sponsors two Maternity Outreach Mobile (MOM) Units and the H.D. Woodson Senior High School Adolescent Wellness Center.

Expectations of Team Members
Team members are expected to attend and actively participate in ISCOPES’ team meetings, functions, and program events, as well as be committed to the team’s projects and the team process. Team members should also expect to attend at least two community meetings/events per semester. 

Anticipated Project(s)
DC Healthy Start is currently undergoing a needs assessment. The 2007-08 ISCOPES team project will be informed by the outcomes identified by this assessment.

Suggested next steps from the 2006-07 team include: to provide the dental mobile unit with standardized dental fact sheets which patrons can take home with them, and to continue spreading awareness on depression broadening the scope from men to the community at large.

Past Projects
During the 2006-07 academic year, the DC Healthy Start ISCOPES team addressed two needs identified by the community advisor which included: dental care in pregnant women and increasing awareness of depression among men in the communities. Once these needs were established, the team divided into two smaller groups to work on these areas.

Members of the dental group had the opportunity to actually go on the mobile van visits where team members were able to provide the residents with information on dental care. The residents were very receptive to each group member and showed interest in the information.  The dental team also produced an information flyer and met with a focus group to review and finalize this document. The flyer is to be distributed to community advocates. In addition, new toothbrushes and toothpaste were collected throughout the year at various locations. These supplies were donated to the van so they could be distributed to community members.

The mental health group members developed a fact sheet about depression among men. Information sessions were held at the community center to provide this information and resources to residents of the community. The team introduced the topic to community members by developing an activity where community advocates sculpted “play-doh” according to their views on both the causes and effects of depression. The community advocates actively participated and engaged in a rich dialogue that should inform the next ISCOPES team.