City of Seattle, WA

08/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/08/2024 14:04

DEEL Awards $1.49M in Community Grants for Programs Promoting Equitable Perinatal Health Outcomes

Programming will serve Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color through culturally and linguistically responsive prenatal-to-three resources and offerings

SEATTLE (August 8) - The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) announces five community partner organizations awarded through the 2024 Prenatal-to-Three (PN3) Community Grant. PN3 funds are intended to improve kindergarten readiness by reducing race-, gender-based, and other socioeconomic health disparities for young children and their families during the birth to three period. Each partner has been selected to receive $298,000 over two years, from 2024 to 2026, for a total of $1.49 million in funds distributed.

"We seek to cultivate a more resilient One Seattle by investing in programs that support the members of our community most impacted by disparities in maternal and infant health," said Mayor Bruce Harrell. "The City of Seattle is proud of these community-led organizations and their efforts to advocate for infants and their families. Together, we seek to fortify the wellness of our littlest residents, increasing equitable access to much needed resources and support. When we support our youngest children and families in need, we commit to building a strong, healthy future for our city."

In its sixth consecutive year, relying on revenues generated from the Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT), the PN3 grant program is intended to strengthen pregnant individuals, children from birth to three years old, and parents or caregivers of children aged birth to three. Services are offered citywide yet prioritize south Seattle communities. The award aims to reduce disparities by funding community informed proposals that address barriers to healthy outcomes.

Awarded proposals center strategies and approaches that:

  • provide families access to critical resources and services supporting healthy and equitable births
  • increase parental physical and mental health and wellbeing, especially during the perinatal period
  • strengthen nurturing and responsive caregiver-child relationships, and
  • promote optimal child health and development.

Black, indigenous, and Latine women-led organizations, programming, and services are centered within the 2024 cohort of PN3 community grant awardees.

The acknowledged crisis in maternal mortality includes the incidence of birth trauma, infant loss, postpartum complications, and impacts to maternal mental health. The risk for adverse perinatal health outcomes is three to four times higher for Black women and birthing people than their white counterparts, regardless of income or education. The increased likelihood of adverse birth outcomes exists for Native American and Alaska Native communities as well. Given the landscape of persistent race-based disparities in perinatal wellness, the PN3 community grant seeks to increase access to culturally responsive care and support.

The impact of DEEL's investment in strategies that promote healthy birth-to-three outcomes in communities most impacted is noted by PN3 Community Grant awardees from the 2023-2025 cohort. Faisa Farole, LM, CPM, MA-MCHS, is the founder and executive director of Global Perinatal Services (GPS), an organization and community birth center serving primarily immigrant and refugee communities with culturally and linguistically relevant doula care, midwifery, and parent advocacy services. With their Easy Access Clinic services to parents, GPS is a recognized Perinatal Safe Spot-a physical or virtual space, or both, where women and families can safely connect and find support. Perinatal Safe Spots utilize the tenets of Access, Connections, Knowledge and Empowerment to increase opportunities for positive birth outcomes amongst communities served.

"We are very proud of the In-House Counseling services we are able to offer our staff and clients alike [with the PN3 Community Grant from DEEL]," Farole says. "The communities we serve don't necessarily seek mental health services on a regular basis." According to Farole, "Mental health services are just as important as physical health services, and we want to normalize this for the communities we serve." 

Ashley McGirt-Adair, MSW, LICSW is the Founder and CEO of Therapy Fund Foundation, a local non-profit committed to "empowering People of Color Through Mental Health Education and Radical Self-Care" and one of the 2024 PN3 grantees. Like Farole, McGirt-Adair stresses the value of the award given the necessity of investing in mental wellness as early as the perinatal phase. "The early years of a child's life are critically formative, setting the foundation for their long-term health, development, and well-being," she says. "By providing resources and support during this pivotal period, we are not only fostering healthy development in children but also empowering families with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive."

According to McGirt-Adair, the need for resources that promote timely access to mental health services is particularly acute for Black families. "This grant not only empowers our organization but also stands as a testament to the importance of investing in the future of Black children and their families. It is a commitment to breaking down the barriers that have historically marginalized our community and a step towards achieving equity in health and well-being."

[Link]Black, Indigenous and People of Color community staff, volunteers, board members, and Mental Health Practitioners with Therapy Fund Foundation, 2024 Prenatal-to-Three grant recipient. Photo courtesy of Therapy Fund Foundation.

Therapy Fund Foundation will utilize the PN3 award to offer evidence-based treatments, including mindfulness techniques and African-centered healing modalities, with free mental health therapy for 80 families annually. Therapy Fund Foundation's programs will prioritize Black families, including formerly incarcerated, unhoused, victims of sexual violence, and/or LGBTQIA birthing persons.

In addition to mental health services for pregnant individuals and parents or caregivers of children aged birth to three, grantee organizations will provide a range of key services and supports. Funded programming encompasses culturally grounded doula care and birth support, lactation education, health screenings and early intervention assessments, as well as resource navigation. Targeted supports for parent-child wellness and early learning include bilingual child development and parent peer education activities, as well as culturally-informed parent-toddler nutrition, land-stewardship programming, and heritage learning for Native families.

DEEL Director Dr. Dwane Chappelle expressed enthusiasm about the launch of programs funded through the PN3 Community Grant. "We are proud to support the innovative approaches our Prenatal-to-Three partners have designed to meet the needs of Seattle infants, toddlers, and their families," he said. "Early supports and interventions lead to improved health and education outcomes for a lifetime, and we look forward to the many ways these intentional and responsive efforts will allow children throughout our community to thrive."

Applications were forwarded to a review panel consisting of partners from Public Health - Seattle King County (PHSKC), higher education, community members, and City staff with a combination of both lived and professional experience in the prenatal-to-three period. Panelists assessed proposals through the lens of the criteria outlined in the Request for Proposals, considering the strength of each proposal's connection to community, program or service proposed, organization attributes and qualifications.

DEEL received 31 applications totaling $8,450,684.70 in requested funding. DEEL acknowledges that community needs and applicant requests far exceed available funding, and recognizes the effort made by all applicants in crafting their individual proposals. 

The following is a list of 2024 Prenatal-to-Three Community Grant award recipients:  

*First-time award recipient of DEEL funding

The City of Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning's mission is to transform the lives of Seattle children, youth, and families through strategic investments in education. www.seattle.gov/education

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