Two groups are banding together to tackle a big problem in Tarrant County: Maternal and infant mortality.
“We have known for a long time that in Tarrant County, we have high rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality,” said Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives on South Riverside Drive in Fort Worth.
Klocek said they knew it was a problem they wanted to tackle when opening their new campus in May.
They linked up with Abide Women’s Health Services, which was already doing that work in Dallas County and was looking to expand into Tarrant County.
“When we looked at the data, 10% of our clients were coming from Tarrant County,” said Jessica Dupree, Abide vice president of clinical operations and services.
They offer low-to-no cost maternal healthcare, including pregnancy testing, prenatal care, and postpartum support.
What Klocek thinks makes this model unique, though, is that staff also help patients overcome social and economic barriers, too.
The Center, for example, offers free drop-in childcare.
“When we think about the patient-centered care model, that’s where our midwives are able to sit with them knee to knee, eye to eye, and understand, ‘What are the social and economic barriers that are also plaguing our clients?'” Dupree said.
Another example, Dupree said, includes arranging for a rideshare to pick a patient up if they need a ride to their appointment.
Right now, the clinic is only open on Mondays, but Dupree said they are looking to expand hours, as well as staff.
“We are, I would say, approaching capacity rapidly,” Dupree said.
Angela Reziah came to the mobile clinic in her last trimester and has stayed through postpartum care.
“I felt such a relief,” she said.
Reziah, new to Texas, was nervous about finding the right care.
“So, the challenges were, you know, to find someone… you can trust,” she said. “You can have that clear communication, you can be heard.”
The mother of five has had a long journey.
“I know what it’s like to enjoy motherhood and also to go through loss,” she said.
Four of her children are here on earth– her stillborn, she likes to say, is in heaven.
“One of the worst things that could happen, that I didn’t know even existed — I didn’t know a pain like this existed,” Reziah said. “Imagine you’re going in and you’re getting ready, but you’re told your baby doesn’t have a heartbeat. And you have to push.”
She said she carried the pain of that stillbirth for a long time.
“I was full term. I did everything. I went to all my prenatal visits. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke,” she said.
She went on to have two more kids, then a miscarriage, before getting pregnant again.
“With Abide, that was definitely where I got my confidence back,” Reziah said.
Her journey, once of grief and loss, is also now one of triumph, she said, one she hopes will help her become a doula and help others.
“I know it’s not easy, but you can recover and you can live again,” she said.
She also urges women to utilize Abide.
“Any young girl or woman, whether if you’re married or not, there’s definitely help,” Reziah said.