Health Department Launches Bridges to Wellness Program

ZANESVILLE, OH – A new program is coming to the Muskingum County Health Department to help combat infant mortality.

Bridges to Wellness is a program from Access Tusc and they recently received a grant for $340,000 from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.

The program utilizes community health workers to help pregnant women throughout their pregnancy and beyond.

Carol Howdyshell, the Director of Family and Community Wellness, detailed some of the things these Health Workers do.

“They make sure they have health insurance, a medical home, or a dental home,” Howdyshell said. “When women give birth, sometimes there’s postpartum depression that comes into the picture and the community health workers are attuned to that as well.”

Muskingum County will soon become one of 10 Counties with a program like this. The other Counties are Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Monroe, Tuscarawas, Washington, Harrison and Noble.

Howdyshell said this is a great program for all of the Counties involved.

“It’s one thing to be in your doctor’s office and getting your baby’s height, weight, heartbeat and everything is really good. The Community Health Workers meet in the home,” Howdyshell said. “So they may see challenges that maybe the mom doesn’t recognize as a challenge and as they build the relationship they can address it.”

Howdyshell said the Health Department currently has four community health workers and are looking for more.

If you are interested in becoming a community health worker you can contact the health department.