Anthem Blue Cross Grants $400K to Boost Maternal Health Outcomes

The Anthem Blue Cross Foundation has granted $400,000 to a nonprofit organization in Fresno County, California, to help improve maternal health outcomes and reduce pre-term births among women who have experienced domestic violence.

The Marjaree Mason Center (MMC) is a domestic violence agency that provides safe housing and support services to adults and their children impacted by domestic violence in Fresno County. The funding will support the MMC’s Maternal Health Program, a collaborative project between MMC, UCSF Fresno, and the Fresno County Department of Public Health.

The program aims to boost the overall health and well-being of mothers and babies and lower the occurrence of pre-term births.

Specifically, the grant from Anthem will go toward providing prenatal care, mental health support, and assistance in navigating healthcare and social services. The funding will also support education and resources to help women make informed decisions about their health and their unborn babies’ health.

“Anthem Blue Cross and our Foundation have made significant investments to ensure women and their babies can achieve optimal health and well-being across the nation, in California, and in regions like Fresno County, where some of the greatest maternal health disparities persist,” Les Ybarra, president of Anthem’s Medi-Cal health plan, said in the press release.

“We recognize the critical role that MMC’s Maternal Health Program plays in the lives of some of our most vulnerable Californians, and we are proud to be part of an effort that is making a positive impact on so many lives and building stronger, healthier communities.”

Through the Maternal Health Program, participants can access assistance at clinics staffed by OB/GYNs from UCSF twice per month. During these visits, participants receive a mommy and baby bag with items to support their health and well-being, including vitamins, pregnancy bands, and self-care items. Additionally, the bags contain baby items like wipes, diapers, newborn clothing, bottles, and toys.

The program is available to pregnant women connected with MMC through one of its other emergency support programs.

Program participants also receive support from a public health nurse from Fresno County who follows them through their pregnancies and continues supporting them at home six weeks after the baby is delivered. Currently, the program supports 14 participants, and five babies have been delivered to term since the program was soft-launched in 2022.

“MMC expresses our heartfelt gratitude to the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation for ensuring that we have the resources to provide holistic care to expectant mothers,” said Nicole Linder, chief executive officer of the Marjaree Mason Center. “The significant investment from Anthem, and partnership with UCSF Fresno and County of Fresno Public Health, will provide intensive care for mothers and babies during one of the most traumatic and lonely times in their lives.”

Experiencing domestic violence during pregnancy can lead to reduced prenatal care, which can result in low gestational weight gain, pre-term birth, and low infant birth weight. In addition, unborn babies may become a target of physical abuse in relationships experiencing domestic violence.