By Benjamin Davis / The Jambar
Rep. Lauren McNally announced Jan. 13 that a $440,000 grant was given to the Mahoning Valley Pathways HUB by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.
The Mahoning HUB is a division of Mahoning County Public Health, and a part of the wider Pathways Community HUB Institute, a nonprofit that focuses on improving public health through its community health workers. McNally said PCHI started in Franklin County before expanding across Ohio.
“It’s a very hands-on model, [and] it’s something that was originally a pilot program that we’ve expanded into 12 different counties throughout the state,” McNally said. “We saw success with this program around the Franklin County area when we first launched it, and now it’s gotten bigger.”
PCHI takes a holistic approach to health, focusing on areas beyond clinical needs. Cathy Hergenrother, director for Mahoning HUB, said the nonprofit works to address social needs.
“The model focuses on holistic care that addresses multiple health related social needs such as housing, employment, education [and] mental health,” Hergenrother said. “It really is a comprehensive strategy, if you will, that contributes to helping improve birth outcomes, healthy lifestyles, reduces medical costs and ensures that really participants … live their best, healthiest lives.”
Mahoning HUB pursues its goals by partnering with community agencies who recruit community health workers to serve as the organization’s backbone.
“The HUB itself makes business arrangements with community agencies. Those community agencies then hire care coordinators, which we refer to as community health workers,” Hergenrother said. “Those community health workers become advocates for helping to make sure that people secure medical insurance and basic needs like food, clothing [and] shelter.”
One problem Mahoning HUB tackles is infant mortality, which McNally said has become an issue in Mahoning County, particularly for Black Americans.
“Black infant mortality is a huge issue in Youngstown in particular,” McNally said. “[It’s] the highest per capita in the state for Black infant mortality, and our state itself is one of the highest in the country.”
Hergenrother cited data from the Ohio Department of Health on the rates of preterm births and low birth weights in Mahoning County — two causes of infant mortality.
“According to the Ohio Department of Health, in Mahoning County alone … the preterm birth rate is 15.3% … 12.8% were low birthweight,” Hergenrother said. “The Ohio Department of Health says 22.7% of all African American births [in Mahoning County] are preterm. And 24.8% of African American births are low birth weight.”
Hergenrother said Mahoning HUB has been successful in decreasing preterm birth rates and low birth weight rates compared to the state’s reported average.
“All of our preterm birth rates were 8.9% as compared to 15.3%. Our low birth weights were 12.4% compared to 12.8% according to the state,” Hergenrother said. “We only have 6.3% of our moms have preterm births compared to the 22.7%.”
With the new grant money, Hergenrother said Mahoning HUB is in a better position to cover costs for its community health workers and the operating costs of servicing four separate counties.
“That will be used to cover wages and fringes for community health workers. Wages and fringes for the HUB team. It also provides training and education that we use … for our [community health workers] on a monthly basis,” Hergenrother said. “We serve a four county area — Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana and Jefferson counties. So that money makes sure that the HUB has operating capital, as well as help pay for our technology.”
For those interested in learning more about Mahoning HUB or any of its services, information can be found on the Ohio Pathways HUB website.