Attorney General Lynn Fitch celebrated the first anniversary of Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance (MAMA), a free website and mobile app that connects pregnant women and mothers to private,public and faith-based resources available across the state.
Since launching theMAMA website in October 2023, over 15,000 individuals have visited thewebsite. Nearly 500 users have downloaded the mobile app since it went liveearlier this year.“Our state is blessed with countless public, private, and faith-based resources,but it can be challenging to navigate while also adjusting to a changing family,”said Attorney General Fitch.
“MAMA is just one of the ways thatMississippi is helping to stand in the gap to both empower women and promotelife. I am grateful for this opportunity to show women that they are notalone. We care about their wellbeing and success and want to help them andtheir family flourish."In 2023, General Fitch worked with the Mississippi State Legislaturetoestablish MAMA (SB 2781). Her office was tasked with creating andadministering MAMA, with the assistance of a number of state agencies,including the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services,which helped to stand up the website in just three months to make thestatutorily-required launch date of October 1, 2023, as well as the mobile appby the January 1, 2024, deadline.MAMA is designed with the goal of connecting mothers directly to neededresources and services in three clicks or less, which are organized by ninecategories:Pregnancy: Receive a free pregnancy test or ultrasound, visit a centerwith baby essentials, find a diaper bank, or take a childbirth andparenting class.Health: Enroll in Medicaid, find free health services near you, connectwith a mental health counselor, seek help for substance abuse/addiction,or download health/pregnancy/childbirth tips.Adoption: Learn more about adoption, locate safe haven baby boxes, orexplore other life-affirming options.Food: Sign up for food benefits and assistance, locate food pantries and community kitchens, or access free formula.Goods:Find a resource center near you with car seats, strollers, cribs,diapers and wipes, maternity and infant clothing, and other householditems.Safety: Find a domestic abuse shelter or rape crisis center, connect witha confidential counselor, or request legal aid.Money: Apply for financial assistance and government benefits for food,rent/mortgages, transportation, and childcare; learn more about childsupport enforcement; or find a financial planning and literacy class.Child Care: Locate a childcare center near you or apply for financialassistance.Jobs: Search job openings, enroll in job training courses, or apply forfinancial aid for college.General Fitch’s office has added over 400 resources to the ServiceDirectory, and continues outreach to add additional resources. Public, private,and faith-based entities that would like to be added to the MAMA ServiceDirectory can contact General Fitch’s office hereor click “List Your Service” inthe upper righthand corner of the MAMA website. Similarly, organizations andagencies that would like to help spread the word about MAMA to women andfamilies can request brochures here.Additionally, since its inception, MAMA has been able to support familiesacross the State through the "Contact Us" feature on the website and app.Approximately four women a week contact the Attorney General’s Office forassistance. Some of the inspirational stories of women connecting and findinghelp through MAMA include:A single, first-time mom of twins in the NICU, at risk of homelessness,was connected with a crisis pregnancy center to find housing for herselfand her new babies;A special needs mother, who is also raising her grandchild, got helpapplying for food benefits and Medicaid; andA pregnant woman nearing her delivery date that needed immediateassistance finding shelter was connected to a safe space.
Original source can be found here.