Philadelphia Consortium Projects - 2019
Maternal/Child & Women's Health
Safe Sleeping and Healthy Habits
Student Interns:
Angela Heysel, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Jessie Kim, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Academic Preceptors:
Rickie Brawer, PhD, MPH, MCHES, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Joan I. Gluch, PhD, RDH, PHDHP, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
James D. Plumb, MD, MPH, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Community Preceptors:
Shauntay Murray, MHA, CLC, Cribs for Kids Program, Maternity Care Coalition
Community Site:
Cribs for Kids, a component program of the Maternity Care Coalition, provides low-income families in Philadelphia with cribs and education on safe sleeping environments. Cribs for Kids also provides education on how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). View Community Partner Web Site
BTG Focus Areas (adapted from Healthy People 2010 and 2020):
Access to Healthcare; Educational and Community-Based Programs; Health Communication; Maternal, Infant and Child Health; Sleep Health.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns at the Maternity Care Coalition worked with the Cribs for Kids program to provide safe-sleep education and distribute Graco Pack ‘n Play cribs to eligible clients in the Philadelphia and Delaware County area. Interns learned to assess clients for program eligibility, register them for educational workshops and navigate the online database for entering client information. The interns also assisted the staff in coordinating and conducting workshops, home visits, and office visits, during which clients receive information on sudden infant death syndrome, breastfeeding and safe sleeping practices, before they receive their new cribs.
Intern Statements:
Angela Heysel: “Overall, this was a very impactful experience that took me out into the community and broadened my understanding of community health. I will use what I learned during this internship in my future practice as a physician. I have also gained some amazing colleagues at Bridging the Gaps and Cribs for Kids.”
Jessie Kim: “This experience with Cribs for Kids has further opened my eyes to the socioeconomic and educational disparities that exist within our community. Through engaging with clients one-on-one and in large groups, I have been able to grow as a more compassionate and understanding leader. I will take these experiences with me and apply them to my future dental practice by trying to better understand my patients’ backgrounds in order to care for them more effectively.”
