Rebuilding Maternal Child Public Health Services in New Orleans Post Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina devastated the Maternal Child Health Care System and the public health infrastructure in the city of New Orleans. This included the Healthy Start Initiative which provided a safety net for women and children in need of healthcare and social service programs. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the Healthy Start Program provided services to over 2,000 clients through seven satellite sites. Challenges included the loss of physical locations to offer the program. Currently services are provided to 1,700 clients in two locations. There were four primary focuses that were addressed to reestablish the program for returning citizens.

First we undertook a barrier analysis of a devastated city to rebuild the client base. Several tools were utilized including GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to assess the most recent repopulation trends.

Second, we needed to adjust the focus and vision of Healthy Start; keeping in mind the realities of the Post Katrina environment that has limited but ever changing access to health and social services.

Third, Healthy Start New Orleans refocused on client resiliency with respect to the personal responses to the most significant life changing event that most had ever faced. Finally, creating a culture of emergency preparedness that addresses MCH needs community wide is an additional critical goal for the project and the New Orleans Health Department.