Partnership. Community. Wraparound supports. HealthySteps’ purpose is to help families with young children feel they are not alone in helping their little ones grow and make resources and community supports readily available to them. The HealthySteps program at CommonSpirit St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Morgan, and the partnership between the HealthySteps Specialist, Sherri Amen, the Primary Care Provider, and Dr. Wood exemplifies this purpose.
Dr. Wood came to the practice two and a half years ago, where he met Sherri, who had been supporting families with HealthySteps for a few years prior. Sherri feels passionately about helping families in an emotionally safe, nonjudgmental way.
“Families are really vulnerable after they have a new child. I want to support them through an infant mental health and perinatal mental health lens. I tell families, ‘this is to help alleviate stress.’” - Sherri Amen
Dr. Wood and Sherri embody two complementary approaches. They come from different backgrounds, generations, genders, and perspectives, and together, they are able to serve a whole family’s needs. After a visit with Dr. Wood, a family meets with Sherri, and she helps connect them to resources to help their baby thrive.
“If you cast a net twice, you are more likely to catch something.” - Dr. Wood
Open communication and collaboration are key: sometimes Dr. Wood will alert Sherri that a family may have more to say than they shared with him. Sure enough, when they meet with Sherri, they might confide in her about symptoms of postpartum depression, or worries about their baby.
Sherri is then able to connect the family to support, in the gentlest way possible.
“I like to tell them, ‘Can I connect you to my friend over at xyz practice?’ A benefit of being part of a small community like Fort Morgan is that I know all the OTs, PTs, breastfeeding counselors, mental health providers, etc. It is a casual, welcoming referral.” - Sherri Amen
Warm hand-offs aren’t the only way Sherri and Dr. Wood leverage being in a small community. Dr. Wood is committed to showing up at libraries, community fairs, and even organizes “Wednesdays with Dr. Wood,” family friendly field trips to community gardens, nature walks, and exercise classes.
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