healthy start coalition of flagler and volusia counties, inc. - the … · 2020. 1. 5. · healthy...
TRANSCRIPT
THE LIFESONG PROJECT A Positive Faith-Based Initiative To Reduce Infant Mortality in African American Communities
LIFECOURSE PERSPECTIVE OF LIFESONG
There is a tribe in east Africa in
which the art of true intimacy is
fostered even before birth. In this
tribe, the birthdate of a child is not
counted from the day of its physical
birth nor, even the day of
conception as in other village
cultures.
For this tribe, the birth date comes the very first
time the child is a thought in its mother’s mind.
Aware of her intention to conceive a child with a
particular father, the mother then goes off to sit
alone under a tree. There she sits and listens until
she can hear the song of the child that she hopes
to conceive.
Once she has heard the song,
she returns to her village and
teaches it to the father so they
can sing it together as they
make love, inviting the child to
join them.
After the child is conceived,
she sings it to the baby in her
womb.
Then she teaches it to the old women and midwives of
her village so that throughout the labor and at the
miraculous moment of birth itself, the child is greeted
with its song.
….and at the end of life, his or her loved ones will gather around
the deathbed and sing this song for the
last time.
It is sung in times of triumph,
or in rituals and initiations.
This song becomes a
part of the marriage
ceremony when the child
is grown,
After the birth, all of the villagers learn the
song of their new member and sing it to the
child when it falls or hurts itself.
Promotes Healthy Babies by Supporting:
Access to quality health care
Good nutrition and folic acid
Safe sleep
Nurturing and bonding
Hope after loss
Promotes Happy Children by Supporting:
Quality education
Respect for traditions
Positive self-image
Healthy environments
A sense of belonging
Promotes Empowered Adults by Supporting:
Healthy lifestyles
Planned and responsible parenting
Self-sufficiency
Positive role modeling
Self-respect
Promotes Dignified Age by Supporting:
Respect for elders
Storytelling and gathering
Loving care
Wisdom and experience
A high quality end of life
• LifeSong was initiated in Flagler & Volusia Counties, located in East Central
Florida.
• The primary focus is to address the disparity associated with black infant
mortality through the engagement and mobilization of the African American
Faith Community in partnership with the Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler &
Volusia Counties, Inc.
• In our two county service area, black infant mortality was two to three times
that of white infant mortality and in some of our zip codes exceeded 20
deaths per 1,000 live births.
• Reducing these disparities has been a consistently elusive goal despite
targeting of program resources and staff development efforts.
• Dialogue with community pastors and advocates revealed the need for
meaningful engagement and public awareness.
• We now recognize that negative messaging about poor outcomes in high
risk communities creates a “numbing” effect that offers little hope for
change. The LifeSong project emphasizes a paradigm shift that transcends
words to inspire hope, empowerment and action!
The major project goals are to reduce black infant mortality and related health disparities. The Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler & Volusia worked with key leaders of the Clergy within the African American Faith Community to achieve the following objectives: • Identify barriers to public awareness about health disparities across the
lifespan.
• Develop positive mechanisms (dialogue, song, art, dance, and narrative) to “inspire” and promote protective factors.
• Provide tools/resources to support church ministries such as safe sleep, folic acid, access to health care, tobacco cessation and bereavement support (African American Faith-Based Bereavement Initiative) for families who have suffered a loss.
• Translate Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) case review findings into community action!
• Approach community change in accordance with life course theory.
• LifeSong has developed original art that beautifully illustrates symbolism in the African tradition as it depicts the Life Course Perspective.
• Members of the faith community currently participate in our Fetal Infant Mortality
Review Case Review Team (CRT) and Community Action Group (CAG) activities.
• Since its inception, the LifeSong SIDS Sunday event has distributed over 10,000 church fans to the community with positive messaging about safe sleep and health promotion.
• We now offer the African American Faith Based Bereavement Initiative Curriculum to pastors and lay people in the community.
• The Florida Department of Health in Volusia County initiated tobacco prevention
and cessation programming in the faith community using the LifeSong framework.
• According to our Project INFORM (Infant Neonatal Fetal Outcomes Related to Mortality) Community Report, from 2011 to 2012, black infant mortality rates per 1,000 live births have decreased from a rate of 15.4 to 6.9.
• Our largest county (Volusia), has shown a reduction in Black infant mortality from
13.6 in 2011 to 6.5 in 2012 and 6.7 in 2013. These are the lowest rate in our county’s history.
• We have successfully created positive dialogue and relations with members of the
faith based communities .
• LifeSong has gotten positive exposure through media outlets to include radio,
magazine, newspaper, and podcast productions.
• Dialogue about infant mortality is difficult in communities with high rates of
crime, unemployment, and poverty.
• Religious messaging is not always in alignment with public health
communication.
• Communities often lack awareness and understanding about the gravity of
infant mortality as a sentinel indicator of a community’s health.
• Many churches have limited infrastructure which impacts their ability to
implement new projects and gather associated data.
• There are inherent difficulties in supporting families who have experienced
fetal or infant loss. People do not always know how to act or what to say
without training and accurate information.
• There is often a lack of strong partnerships between faith based
communities and local private and public health sectors and organizations.
• Lack of cultural and linguistic competence at the individual and
organizational level can make positive communication and forward
movement difficult.
• Partners need to be equals. When the Faith Community takes the leadership
role in the project it can then become sustainable.
• Relationships and dialogue are the most important ingredients for success.
• The most powerful motivators are often not able to be described in words or
numbers but through art, music, dance and story-telling.
• Transcending language is important to “move” people to feel powerful,
which is what the LifeSong Project seeks to do.
History Challenges & Lessons Learned Accomplishments
Project Goals & Objectives
Acknowledgements
• The LifeSong narrative is adapted from A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield,
Bantam Books, 1993.
• Art Credit: Original Artwork by James Edwards, “LifeSong Shields,” and “ Village
Love”
• Artistic Support: Omar and Camille Brown; Wesley Clark; Jennie Joseph, LM.,
Reverend John Long and Mrs. Maria Long; Libby Charles; Rosha Loach and
Dixie Morgese.
• The Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler & Volusia Counties would like to thank the
community stakeholders in our Service Area for their sponsorship, commitment
and support. Please visit www.healthystartfv.org for more information.
Shield ▬ Protects the Village
Butterfly ▬ Transforms the Village
Hands ▬ Love the Village
People ▬ Center of the Village
Life Song Symbols