This summer, Yale Child Study Center's Elevate Policy Lab connected with long-standing MOMS Partnership teams in D.C., Vermont, and NYC DHS at BronxWorks. Each team shared strategies they have found successful for outreach, engagement, and program delivery.
- Community outreach in action: Joining community events in related fields—like maternal health and parenting—has helped D.C. MOMS reach new audiences. Partnering with local organizations to join an existing event can create natural opportunities to share information about MOMS programming. Is there a back to school or childcare resource fair coming up soon in your community? Consider reaching out to organizers to share information about MOMS programming.
- Regular MOMS refreshers: Vermont MOMS regularly hosts overview sessions for organizational staff. These brief refreshers introduce new staff to the program, update existing staff on changes, and strengthen referral pathways. Consider how periodic updates (every three - six months) could strengthen MOMS programming at your organization.
- Group closeouts for reflection and celebration: After MOMS Stress Management groups, the NYC DHS at BronxWorks team gathers to reflect, share successes, and prepare for the next group. These sessions foster learning, closure, and community among staff. Your team can make this strategy their own by holding time after each group or cohort wraps up to discuss as a team – this can be during regular supervision time or can be a separate time set aside. Beyond serving as a time for reflection, these meetings can also be times of celebration and community amongst the MOMS team.
Elevate thanks the D.C., Vermont and NYC DHS at BronxWorks MOMS teams for their wisdom, insight, and expertise.