Our Initiatives

This program equips 60 pregnant and postpartum participants with self monitoring devices including wearable smartwatches to track baseline and real-time health data. The staff at Operation M.I.S.T. check each of their clients to see if their health data deviates from established norms, helping to manage their stress, sleep, blood pressure, and any other aspects of their health data that impacts their overall wellness. . What are some people saying? “I am officially SHUT IN until Sunday. I’ll be sleeping, eating, praying, reading, writing, doing my pelvic floor homework and just RESTING cause I really do struggle to be still, but I’m being intentional about it this time thanks to you all.” “OMG. Made my heart melt. IDK if it’s the hormones. Thank you so much. Helping pay for my doula would really be a blessing.”

This pilot initiative is about supporting the use of a validated CVD risk screening tool to automate automated assessments of pregnant and postpartum woman to identify high-risk patients and refer them to specialists. In partnership with NGHS and the Georgia Heart Institute (GHI), HOPE seeks to extend this model beyond inpatient OB units into ambulatory OB offices, Primary care offices, EDs, and  urgent care.

What’s innovative? This program has integrated a CVD risk assessment tool into its EPIC electronic health record system.

HOPE supports this remote patient monitoring initiative in Wellstar GME OBGYN clinics using digital blood pressure cuffs connected to GoMo Health. Patients receive tailored care messages, and case managers can intervene in real-time to triage concerns or refer patients to clinical and social support.

What’s innovative? OBYN Resident Physicians are tailoring their communications with patients based on their needs.

 

Through HOPE funding, the Georgia Family Medicine Residency Collaborative, together with the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, is developing educational modules to train family medicine residents and faculty to identify cardiac conditions during pregnancy and up to one year after delivery.

What’s innovative? The statewide commitment and collaboration of Family medicine residents across Georgia are playing a leading role in maternal cardiac care.

With support from HOPE for Georgia Moms, providers can register to take the Obstetric Patient Safety (OPS) OB Emergencies Workshopthe Northeast Georgia Health System’s team leads this hands-on training and simulations to prepare OB/GYNs, EMS, ER staff, and family medicine clinicians to manage critical scenarios like hemorrhage, cardiac arrest, and sepsis. HOPE’s involvement ensures the program reaches providers in both urban and rural regions, aligning this training with statewide implementation of the Cardiac Conditions in Obstetric Care (CCOC) AIM Bundle. By connecting OB and emergency care teams, the initiative helps standardize emergency protocols and improve maternal outcomes across diverse care settings.

In partnership with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, HOPE supports the Conchus Lab in developing an interactive, gamified training tool to simulate real-world roles for doulas working with obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs), midwives, and nurses in healthcare systems.

What’s innovative? Turning clinical training into a collaborative, role-based game, where OB-GYNs, nurses, midwives, and doulas step into each other’s shoes to build real-world understanding before they ever step into the delivery room.

With support from HOPE for Georgia Moms, Mother’s Nest has expanded its reach in Middle Georgia to provide more comprehensive care for underserved mothers. Through mini-grant funding, the organization now offers prenatal and postpartum classes, essential baby supplies, doula support, mental health screenings, and personalized referrals to local services. Based in the Macon area and led by certified doula Sabrina Ellis-Friday, Mother’s Nest creates a trusted space for young women to access not only tangible resources but also the emotional support and community connections they need to thrive on their parenting journey.

EMBRACE addresses the urgent health equity issues for pregnant refugees and immigrants who experience barriers of language, culture, and social isolation through an evidence-informed approach, including childbirth and women’s health education, doula support, healthcare navigation, and a supportive community, all delivered in clients’ heritage languages. This project will enhance educational reach and impact by hiring a Rohingya Community Liaison and training her in maternal health work, such as post-partum doula and childbirth educator certifications.

What’s innovative? Meeting health equity challenges with community-rooted solutions

“Being a community liaison has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I’ve had the privilege of supporting pregnant moms during one of the most vulnerable and meaningful times in their lives. Through Embrace, I’ve been able to help bridge the gap by providing resources, emotional support, and a sense of community. It’s been powerful to witness how even small acts of care can make a lasting impact, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of that journey.

We had a mom who recently arrived from Bangladesh and wasn’t familiar with how things work here; she didn’t have Medicaid or established care, so we helped her apply for Medicaid, provided birth education, created a birth plan, offered emotional support, and when she went into labor, she called me directly to call an ambulance and support her to the hospital. Seeing her happiness after giving birth gave me a deep feeling of satisfaction and reminded me why this work is so important.”

In collaboration with HOPE for Georgia Moms, the Georgia Council for Recovery (GC4R) is launching a certification program aimed at equipping peer specialists with the skills needed to support individuals during the perinatal period. This initiative addresses the critical need for enhanced mental health/substance use support for mothers and families facing behavioral health challenges, particularly focusing on perinatal mood disorders.

This maternal mental health initiative by Postpartum Warriors is intended to give families mental health support during pregnancy and postpartum with the aim of helping patients feel more comfortable expressing their mental health concerns with their providers. Postpartum Warriors has created Maternal Mental Health Bundles to be distributed to patients. A  patient receives a Maternal Mental Health care package made up of educational resources about perinatal mood disorders, a Postpartum Warriors workbook and journal, essential oils, and other items. Postpartum Warriors will also host Mommy Meet Up community events to help break the stigmas on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, foster trust between providers and the community, and create a safe space for patients to share their thoughts and concerns.

In partnership with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, HOPE supports the Conchus Lab in developing an interactive, gamified training tool to simulate real-world roles for doulas working with obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs), midwives, and nurses in healthcare systems.

What’s innovative? Turning clinical training into a collaborative, role-based game, where OB-GYNs, nurses, midwives, and doulas step into each other’s shoes to build real-world understanding before they ever step into the delivery room.

HOPE is a proud supporter of the establishment of the 4Kira4Dads Paternal Centers of Excellence (Georgia site) and the launch of four in-person sessions. These sessions are designed to engage and educate fathers in the local community to increase fathers’ knowledge and engagement regarding pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum to serve as the first line of defense and advocates for pregnant mothers in Georgia. This program will also serve to improve paternal involvement and overall family dynamics. This funding will enable 4Kira4Moms to cover various educational, operational and logistical costs associated with establishing the center, hosting events, including outreach, facilitation costs, and other necessary expenses to ensure the success of the PCOE sessions.

HOPE supports the expansion of the IRTH app, a digital review and ratings platform designed to for patients to share their experiences, which can help others in the community and hospitals improve care quality, deliver respectful and equitable care, while driving transparency and community accountability.  

What’s innovative? A digital platform that turns firsthand birth experiences into actionable insights, driving accountability, improving care quality, and centering equity in maternal health.