Elleen M. Yancey, PhD¹, Tabia H. Akintobi, MPH¹, Dorcas Muteteke, MD², and Julie Bailey, LCSW³. (1) Prevention Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, 777 Cleveland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30315, 404-752-1144, tabiaa@msm.edu, (2) West End Medical Centers, Inc., 868 York Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, (3) West End Medical Centers, Inc., 868 York Avenue, Atlanta, FL 30310

The Bilingual/Bicultural Service Demonstration Program (BBSDP), funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health to West End Medical Centers, Inc, is designed to address the health care needs of primarily French-speaking Sub Saharan African pregnant women residing in metropolitan Atlanta. Evaluators at Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (PRC) partner with West End and Oakhurst Medical Centers to gauge program impact. This interdisciplinary alliance merges the fields of social science, education and medicine to address two primary intervention areas: (I). Access to Quality Health Services and; (II.) Maternal Infant and Child Health. Community-based and culturally sensitive research methods, effective program implementation, and a flexible interdisciplinary approach facilitate replicable programs when no previous research blueprint exists. From Year 1 to Year 2, service utilization has increased by over 50% and over 1.5 times as many women entered the program during their first trimester of pregnancy. The BBSDP-PRC team is an example of an interprofessional partnership evaluating an innovative maternal and child health program serving the needs of a growing population.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the purpose of the Bilingual Bicultural Service Demonstration Project
• Discuss how the project addresses the clinical and cultural needs of the target population
• Identify lessons learned in the evaluation of a new maternal health services program
• Develop a mulidisciplinary team plan that can be used to develop future programs

Keywords: Community Health Programs, Access and Services

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.