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Funding supports community programs statewide

RICHARDSON, Texas — Maternal mortality is a highly preventable health crisis, yet Texas ranks 48^th overall for maternal health. That’s why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas’ expanded Special Beginnings^® Maternal and Infant Health Initiative was first announced in August 2023. Through the initiative, BCBSTX is investing in community, academic and technology partners aimed at improving the health of moms and babies in Texas. In the first two years of the program expansion, Special Beginnings partners saw notable improvements in health outcomes for the patients they serve. In addition to the initial $10.2 million allocated to 16 community partners in the first two years, BCBSTX is proud to announce an additional $2 million investment into nine current maternal health community partners, and three new partners.

New Partners & Programs:

• East Texas Community Clinic, Inc.: the “Healthier Mom’s and Families in Rural East Texas” program aims to expand preventive and maternal care services to help increase education and awareness and improve overall health in Henderson, Kaufman and Van Zandt Counties.
• Parkland Health Foundation: the “extending Maternal Care After Pregnancy” program offers support up to one year postpartum, addressing both physical and mental health needs to women who face gaps and barriers to health care coverage in Dallas and Hunt Counties.
• Project Unity Texas: the “Brazos Healthy Communities” program employs Community Health Workers who deliver prenatal, postpartum and social services in-house, reducing preterm births, low birth weight, and maternal emergencies in Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington Counties. 

Current Partners & Programs: 

• Abide Women’s Health Services: the “Expanding Access to Comprehensive Maternal Healthcare in North Texas” program expands prenatal and maternal care in-office and through a Mobile Prenatal Clinic to improve birth outcomes and support social needs in Dallas communities with the lowest access in Angelina, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Harris, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, Robertson, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties.
• Access Esperanza Clinics: the “Maternal Patient Navigator” program will provide dedicated support to patients who receive a positive pregnancy test, assisting them with applications for support services like Emergency Medicaid and WIC, navigating the health care system, and providing provider lists, screenings, referrals and other resources throughout Hidalgo County.
• HHM Health: the “Expanding Access to Equitable, Affordable Maternal Health Care” program provides both medical expertise and social support for low-income populations across Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties.
• Holy Family Services, Inc.: the “Empowering Women Through Healthcare Access” program will expand access and capacity to provide prenatal care, doula support, education, screenings and lactation support for uninsured and underinsured women to achieve better health outcomes in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.
• HOPE Clinic: the “Maternal Outcomes Management Improvement (MOMI)” project supports women at the highest risk for severe maternal morbidity by offering early, continuous utilization of prenatal care, educating about healthy spacing between pregnancies and promoting general reproductive health in Harris and Fort Bend Counties.
• InovCares: the “Transforming Maternal and Infant Health Through Tech-Driven Care” digital health platform offers Telehealth, a maternity kit for remote patient monitoring, transportation assistance, prescription and grocery delivery services to give providers and mothers tools to promote healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes in Cameron and Dallas Counties.
• Nexus Family Recovery Center, Inc.: the “Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care” program serves women and their children affected by Substance Use Disorder as one of few facilities in Texas that serve pregnant women before and after childbirth, and invite women to bring children to treatment, while also providing therapy for the children in Dallas County and statewide.
• People’s Community Clinic: the “Maternal and Infant Health Service Delivery for Central Texans” program expands services for patients from preconception through postpartum and early childhood, offering medical care, innovative programs, health education, alternative medicine, and community health worker assistance in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties.
• Santa Maria Hostel Inc.: the “Caring for Two Intervention, Treatment and Support” 18-month program promotes healthy infant development and positive maternal health for low-income pregnant women and mothers of children ages six and younger impacted by substance use, mental health challenges and trauma in  Austin, Bastrop, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Travis, Waller, and Williamson Counties.

The statewide effort’s initial focus was on the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Rio Grande Valley and Austin areas. Through the newest Special Beginnings partners, BCBSTX is proud to expand support services directly benefiting East Texas and Bryan-College Station.

Since 2023, Special Beginnings partners have served more than 120,000 Texans with nearly 650,000 services delivered. This includes 5,070 babies born with zero maternal deaths, 166,000 STI screenings, with 20% of those served being uninsured.

“At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, we believe strong starts enable strong families. Our outcomes so far prove that when we work together to remove barriers and improve access to care, community-driven action can change the story for mothers and babies in Texas,” said Dr. Mark Chassay, BCBSTX VP and Chief Medical Officer. “These continued investments allow us to help even more families thrive, regardless of location or insurance status.” 

BCBSTX launched the program to address the higher than the national average maternal mortality rate in Texas. According to the most recent March of Dimes data, in 2024 there were 28.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. In addition, Texas ranks poorly in access to prenatal care, with 22% of birthing people not receiving adequate prenatal care. The state also has a low percentage of women with a primary care physician.

The Special Beginnings program focuses on: 

• Implementing quality-based maternal health programs that demonstrate a reduction in preterm and low-birth-weight babies, as well as obstetric and postpartum emergencies.
• Expanding access to comprehensive health services, including behavioral health care during the preconception, prenatal and postpartum periods.
• Increasing public awareness and community engagement to reduce maternal morbidity, mortality and health disparities, with an emphasis on diversifying and expanding the maternal health workforce.

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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas: Celebrating 95 years of helping improve the health of Texans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with more than 168,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 550 hospitals to serve eight million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 

BCBSTX
Dawn Kahle | Parris Kane-Ariola
media@bcbstx.com