Project Title
Expanding CCHP's Behavioral Health and Substance Use Services for Prenatal and Postpartum Women in East Harlem and NYC
Grant Amount
$200,000
Priority Area
Primary Care
Date Awarded
June 2, 2025
Region
NYC
Status
In Progress
Website
Maternal death and serious complications, particularly among Black women and birthing people, are among the most persistent racial health disparities.
While pregnancy and childbirth can be a time of joy, too many women and birthing people of color lack access to empowering, whole-person care that promotes safe and healthy pregnancies. Nearly three out of four pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Primary care offers a critical opportunity to address maternal health disparities and coordinate care before, during, and after pregnancy, but primary care is currently underutilized. In 2025, NYHealth issued an inaugural Request for Proposals (RFP), “Primary Care: Advancing Maternal Health Equity Through Primary and Preventive Care,” to support projects that identify racial disparities in maternal health care and outcomes, use primary and preventive care to reduce those disparities, and measure progress to improve racial health equity. NYHealth awarded the Center for Comprehensive Health Practice (CCHP) a grant to participate in this initiative.
Under this grant, CCHP will expand access to maternal and women’s health services for prenatal and postpartum women with complex needs, including substance use disorders and mental health challenges. Building on partnerships with community organizations, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and providers across East Harlem, CCHP will strengthen its referral network to reach Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) women and connect them to substance use treatment, behavioral health care, and essential supportive services. The project will integrate postpartum depression and social needs screening into pediatric visits, expand referrals to CCHP’s medication-assisted treatment program, and provide comprehensive women’s health services for women with substance use disorder. Over three phases, CCHP will train staff, fully launch the integrated model, and evaluate outcomes through clinical data, patient feedback, and community engagement metrics.