Community Groups Gather to Discuss Housing Insecurity of Pregnant Women

By Ashley McNatt

The conference, presented by the FAITH Network, brought together over 100 community leaders, health care providers, social workers, researchers, mothers impacted by homelessness, the housing authority, and over 10 community groups that provide services to the homeless.

The FAITH (Faith-Academic Initiatives for Transforming Health) Network is a collaboration between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and faith organizations in Arkansas to provide an infrastructure that supports faith-based research. They work to deliver health programs and health education to faith communities across the state.

The morning opened with UAMS Interim Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm. D. Ed.D., giving an overview of the homelessness working group that was established by UAMS in 2016.

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Keneshia Bryant-Moore, Ph.D., R.N., speaks at the Supporting Families in Crisis: Pregnant and Homeless event.

“Through the working group, it was brought to my attention by Becky Sartini, a UAMS nurse, that about 30 mothers a month deliver babies at UAMS and they do not have a place to go home to,” said Keneshia Bryant-Moore, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor in the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health and conference committee chairperson. “I was then able to get some pilot funding to begin addressing this issue and that is what ultimately brought all these groups together for this conference.”

During the lightning round portion of the conference, community groups discussed the resources available through their organizations.

The overall goal for most groups is to keep babies with their mothers and out of social services.

Community groups in attendance included: the Centers for Youth and Families, Zeta’s Storks Nest, Teen MOPS, the Arkansas Birthing Project, Pathway to Hope, the Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center, Safe Families for Children, Our House, Arkansas Women’s Outreach, and Generations in Families Talking Safe Sleep.

Groups discussed the resources available and how to address the needs of women who are pregnant and homeless. Each group aims to help homeless mothers, whether through temporary housing, education, providing clothes, health care, or serving as a mentor.

“The total homelessness rate in Arkansas is almost triple the national average at 50.5 percent,” said Carter Ferguson, pastor of Canvas Community Church in Little Rock.

At the end of the conference, Ferguson presented plans for creation of a central hub for all resources.

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Carter Ferguson, pastor of Canvas Community Church, talks about the homelessness hub.

“If services for the homeless exist, then why is homelessness a problem?” Ferguson asked. “We must address this problem together and the only way to do that is to create a hub, or co-working space, where we can all work together.”

Ferguson announced the construction of an over-11,000-square-foot building located in downtown Little Rock that will house a health clinic provided by ARCare, case management services provided by the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and a bank branch, whose partnership is yet to be announced.

“Individuals, including pregnant women, needing services will be able to come to one place to get everything they need,” Ferguson said. “They can come for their health check-up, obtain a mental health or health evaluation through DHS, and visit a bank for any questions or help they need in that regard.”

The conference is partially funded through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Pipeline-to-Proposal Award administered on behalf of PCORI by Trailhead Institute.