Building Economic Security Today: Making the Health–Wealth Connection in Contra Costa County’s Maternal and Child Health Programs

Abstract

In recent years, maternal and child health professionals have been seeking approaches to integrating the Life Course Perspective and social determinants of health into their work. In this article, we describe how community input, staff feedback, and evidence from the field that the connection between wealth and health should be addressed compelled the Contra Costa Family, Maternal and Child Health (FMCH) Programs Life Course Initiative to launch Building Economic Security Today (BEST). BEST utilizes innovative strategies to reduce inequities in health outcomes for low-income Contra Costa families by improving their financial security and stability. FMCH Programs' Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) conducted BEST financial education classes, and its Medically Vulnerable Infant Program (MVIP) instituted BEST financial assessments during public health nurse home visits. Educational and referral resources were also developed and distributed to all clients. The classes at WIC increased clients' awareness of financial issues and confidence that they could improve their financial situations. WIC clients and staff also gained knowledge about financial resources in the community. MVIP's financial assessments offered clients a new and needed perspective on their financial situations, as well as support around the financial and psychological stresses of caring for a child with special health care needs. BEST offered FMCH Programs staff opportunities to engage in non-traditional, cross-sector partnerships, and gain new knowledge and skills to address a pressing social determinant of health. We learned the value of flexible timelines, maintaining a long view for creating change, and challenging the traditional paradigm of maternal and child health.

Use of a knowledge broker to establish healthy public policies in a city district: a developmental evaluation

“…She mostly closed the gap between science and policy by providing the civil servant with specific policy measures that matched the content of the policy document so that they could immediately be integrated. Other studies have also stated the importance of stakeholders in changing policies or programs [ 38 , 39 ]. In our study, the knowledge broker further bridged the gap by scheduling well-timed follow-up meetings to discuss the actual integration of the policy alternatives and, if necessary, their adaptation.…”

“…The adoption of policy alternatives depended on the suitability of the policy level at which they were specified. Making research results suitable for the uptake in specific policies has been stressed before [ 38 ]. As the economic policy document was strategically positioned, alternatives that did not match this specific policy level were rejected.…”

Macroeconomic policies and increasing social-health inequality in Iran

“…Based on our finding, in Iran the most priorities on macroeconomics which affect health inequalities was economic instability. (47)(48)(49)(50). Another theme which was founded in this study was private sectors policies.…”

Improving Maternal and Child Health Across the Life Course: Where Do We Go from Here?

“…Shrimali et al [10] describe Alameda County Public Health Department's countywide multisector initiative to engage community partners in improving neighborhood conditions, which includes creating a shared vision statement and bill of rights that connects diverse stakeholders to common goals, launching a webbased learning community, and implementing innovative programs such as Food to Families that advance health equity from a life course perspective. Parthasarathy et al [11] also describe the Building Economic Security Today (BEST) program, Contra Costa Health Services Life Course Initiative's asset development pilot project to reduce inequities in health outcomes for low-income families by improving their financial security and stability. And Allen et al [12] describe the Healthy Start in Housing (HSiH), an innovative partnership between Boston Public Health Commission and the Boston Housing Authority that addresses some of the challenges and possibilities of an intervention based on life course theory.…”