The St. David’s Foundation has awarded four grants totaling $2.04 million to Hays County organizations providing perinatal care. The grants will support local nonprofits in their efforts to improve maternal health services in the area.

Grant Recipients

The four organizations receiving grants are CommuniCare Health Centers, Community Action Inc. of Central Texas, HEAL Alliance, and Hill Country Women’s Health Collective. These organizations will use the funds to expand their services, including prenatal care, access to child care, and mental health support.

CommuniCare Health Centers will use the grant to expand its centering project, which brings pregnant women with similar due dates together for prenatal visits and health assessments. Community Action Inc. of Central Texas will use the grant to expand its home visiting program, which provides evidence-based support to families with children under the age of 5.

HEAL Alliance will use the grant to support new cohorts of its Rural Leadership Institute, which provides training to pregnant women to understand ancestral practices and build a support network. Hill Country Women’s Health Collective will use the grant to fund the payment of new providers, expanded ultrasound services, and an expanded Spanish language interpreter pool.

Maternal Health in Hays County

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 25.6% of expecting mothers in Hays County did not receive prenatal care in the first trimester of their pregnancy in 2024. The grant recipients aim to address this issue by increasing access to maternal health services in the area.

The St. David’s Foundation has a long history of addressing health disparities in Central Texas, particularly in rural areas. The foundation believes in promoting health equity and has made a significant investment in organizations that provide perinatal care in the region.

Original reporting: Community Impact — Austin — read the source article.