NEW YORK – The CVS Health Foundation granted the American Diabetes Association (ADA) $2.6 million to expand its maternal health initiative to two additional communities within New York City. This expansion builds on the tremendous success of the program's first 18 months, which improved early gestational diabetes (GDM) screening and care coordination for hundreds of patients at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. The next phase will bring these life-saving interventions to support more families across New York City throughout the prenatal and postpartum journey, addressing one of the city's most urgent health challenges.
"Over the past 18 months, our work with the American Diabetes Association has delivered tremendous results for New York families," said Jenny McColloch, President of the CVS Health Foundation. "This is why we're boosting our support with a $2.6 million grant to expand this proven program to two additional communities. Together, we're building a model that improves care during pregnancy and sets the foundation for healthier futures for mothers and babies."
Why It Matters for New York
- GDM affects up to 9% of pregnancies nationwide, and rates in New York City have climbed from 6% in 2016 to 8.3% in 2021 according to CDC data.
- In Bushwick, Brooklyn, 19% of adults have diabetes, and avoidable hospitalizations are 70% higher than the city average.
At Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, more than 20% of patients have diabetes, and 56% have an A1C above 9%, signaling dangerously poor blood sugar control.
"Everyone living with diabetes deserves high quality care. Through the collaboration with the CVS Health Foundation, we've been able to open doors to new care opportunities for women with gestational diabetes. We look forward to continuing this important work to increase access to maternal health services and diabetes support," said Osagie Ebekozien, MD, MPH, the ADA's chief quality officer.
"Wyckoff Heights Medical Center is extremely grateful to continue partnering with the CVS Health Foundation and the American Diabetes Association on phase 2 of an ongoing collaboration to lower diabetes risk, increase care coordination, and improve diabetes care outcomes in our communities with a focus on perinatal health and gestational diabetes. Over the next three years, this project will focus on increasing diabetes screening rates among Wyckoff patients, monitoring, and treatment coordination and will aim to increase access to continuous glucose monitoring and nutrition planning for diabetes management plans," said Vali Gache, chief executive officer for Wyckoff Heights Medical Center.
Program highlights
The next phase of the initiative will expand to two additional sites in New York City, supporting more families throughout the prenatal and postpartum journey in communities with the highest need. This expansion will build enhanced electronic medical records (EMR) dashboards to streamline referrals between obstetricians, primary care practitioners, and endocrinologists, ensuring seamless care transitions. The program will also increase access to advanced diabetes technology, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and provide medically tailored meals (MTMs) to address patients' food insecurity and improve nutrition.
Additionally, the initiative will deliver multilingual education for patients and community health workers, equipping them with the tools to support healthy pregnancies and postpartum care. To measure impact, the program will track patients longitudinally from pregnancy through postpartum, creating a data-driven model for improving maternal health outcomes across New York City.
Real Impact: Patients' Stories
The program supports individuals like C.H., a first-time mom diagnosed with gestational diabetes early in her pregnancy. Initially overwhelmed and unsure what her diagnosis meant, C.H. attended nutritional workshops, worked closely with a community health worker, and learned how to monitor her blood sugar and plan healthy meals.
"Before joining the program, I was overwhelmed and scared. Now, I feel confident and know exactly what to do to keep myself and my baby healthy." — C.H., program participant
