B. Linda Greaver, MA¹, Guo Wei, PhD², Ernistine Chavis Bulifant³, Danielle Locklear, BSW⁴, and Dolores Vasquez, BSW⁴. (1) Healthy Start CORPS, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, P.O. Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372, (2) Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, P.O. Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372, (3) Housing Department, Lumbee Regional Development Association, P.O. Box 68, Pembroke, NC 28372, (4) Healthy Start Corps, UNC Pembroke, PO Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372, 910-521-6181, dolores.vasquez@uncp.edu

PROBLEM: Robeson county located in Southeastern North Carolina is characterized by high infant mortality, neonatal mortality, and post neonatal mortality rates; large numbers of low birth weight babies; births to teens and unmarried women; low first trimester entry and inadequate prenatal care. These problems are worse for minorities than for whites.

METHODOLOGY: The interventions implemented are outreach and client recruitment, case management and health education. The primary objective is to reach 1,000 community members per year in the three counties served; identifying at least 10% as high-risk mothers and/or infants. This project is funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

ANALYSIS: Evaluation includes: the evaluation of the overall performance of the entire project and detailed statistical analysis of data collected from targeted areas and clinics. A tracking system has been developed for collecting and storing data, producing statistical analyses data and updating the database. A management information system consisting of a database for the entire project and sub-databases (county level) for the individual target areas has been created. These databases reflect the project objectives and performance measures/indicators.

FINDINGS: The Healthy Start CORPS program focuses on new case identification and postpartum follow-up for twenty-four (24) months after delivery. A tertiary outreach effort, a self-esteem job-search skill-building project called, “Healthy Start Spa” is being very successfully implemented for postpartum clients within an indigenous population. This project was developed as a result of attending the Healthy Start Indigenous Conference.

IMPLICATIONS: The Healthy Start Spa project partnered UNC Pembroke and Lumbee Regional Development Association with several community agencies, a child-care center and a local community college; all working together to successfully provide a low-cost high intervention program to improve the self-esteem of new mothers while preparing them to reenter the work force.

INSTITUTION: University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, North Carolina

Learning Objectives: This presentation will guide others in how to provide an outreach program for their clients. At the conclusion of the presentation, the learner will be able to

• Articulate the steps to increasing self-esteem among clients. 2. Describe the steps in preparing clients to reenter the workforce.
• Provide tools for others sites to duplicate this project.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.