Program Alignment Assessment

The Introduction to Community Leadership was foundational to establishing my skills of self-reflection, deep listening, and leadership. I was able to develop my personal strengths while establishing a partnership with a community organization in Baltimore. Through our partnership, I learned about styles of leadership, interview techniques, and asset-based community development. I developed a partnership project that addressed an need that was identified through partner dialogue.

My Community Leadership 601 project centered around maternal and child health disparities in Baltimore. I looked at how early childhood and family programs are aligning with national, state and local standards of practice for improving the health of mothers and infants in susceptible communities. These programs are vital to creating equity around gender, health and reproductive justice. 

I partnered with Family League of Baltimore to determine where their early childhood core programs of Home Visiting and Baby Basics align with internal, local, state and national models and best practices for community health. Family League of Baltimore is a nonprofit organization that has served as the designated Local Management Board for the City of Baltimore since 1991. Their goal is to bring the right partners to the table to make strategic, coordinated  investments in the lives of Baltimore’s children and families. Family League endeavors to make data-informed, community-driven solutions that align resources to dismantle the systemic barriers which limit the possibilities for children, families, and communities. Family Leagues has worked closely with B’more for healthy Babies to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates in Baltimore through their Home Visiting and Baby Basis. 

I collected community health models and strategies from the following institutions:

• Healthy Families of America National Model 

• CDC's Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences 

• Maryland Office of Family and Community Health Services 

• Baltimore City Action Plan/ Five Pillar Goals for Baltimore Success  and Baltimore Mayoral Anti-Violence Strategies 5

• Family League of Baltimore Community Health Needs Assessment

Then I compared them to the services that Family League provides through their Home Visiting and Baby Basics programs:

• Home Visiting programs enroll women during pregnancy and provide intensive home-based services, through the child’s third birthday. Home visitors help ensure mothers have a healthy pregnancy and assist families in addressing social, economic, educational and parenting issues that influence child health and education outcomes. 

• Baby Basics is a health literacy program focused on empowering pregnant moms with health information and supporting them to act upon it. Baby Basics curriculum helps families learn how to support a healthy pregnancy, navigate the healthcare system, and advocate for themselves and their children.