The project seeks to identify and connect with communities that lack the proper access to healthcare. One of its major goals is to eliminate disparities in birth outcomes for minority women in communities of Nassau County including Hempstead, Freeport, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Westbury/New Cassel, Inwood and Long Beach. To accomplish this, a seamless program was developed utilizing a bilingual navigator which will insure that pregnant women are connected to a "medical home," and provided with comprehensive prenatal care and access to health insurance for themselves and their children.

The program will also provide access to medical screenings, referrals, information and health insurance in the communities utilizing the Winthrop Mobile Wellness & Education Center. Additionally, free baby care classes will be provided to expectant parents utilizing bilingual peer educators.

The first year of the grant will focus on the needs of Nassau County's Hispanic community. The second year will expand the program to the African American community, and the third through fifth years of the grant will reach out to other minority groups as they are identified through census and demographic data.

Over the past several years, Winthrop's minority health initiative, Project Community View, has played a pivotal role in providing the medically underserved throughout Long Island with affordable, quality healthcare services. Such programs as 'Diga Si A La Buena Salud' (Say Yes to Good Health) a Hispanic health fair sponsored by Winthrop, and mobile wellness screenings have provided important health information and education to many minority communities.

For more information on Winthrop's community outreach programs, call 1-866-WINTHROP.