Camden, N.J. – Tanasia Green had just learned she was expecting her second child last spring when her 5-year-old son found her 10-year-old brother in the midst of a suicide attempt.
“That was a lot, emotionally,” the 26-year-old said. “Your hormones are all over the place, so that affected it, too.”
But midway through her pregnancy, Green connected with Camden Healthy Start, a federally funded program helping her improve her health and that of her family. Designed to tackle Camden’s high infant mortality rates, the program matches expectant mothers with a family support specialist.
Yuderquis Guzman-Caba, a high-risk case manager for the program, began visiting her every other week, encouraging her to maintain healthy habits and helping her look after her emotional well-being.
“It turned out to be very beneficial,” Green said Wednesday, as she cuddled her newborn, Gary Johnson Jr. “I’m glad I signed up for it.”
