NEWBURGH, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Maternal Infant Services Network (MISN), a community–based non-profit that provides perinatal assistance to underprivileged families to reduce maternal mortality and improve birth outcomes, hosted its first annual symposium on Tuesday, June 25, at the SUNY Orange Newburgh campus to discuss barriers families face in accessing healthcare, mental health services, technological resources, quality education and affordable housing.
The seven-panel event brought together tri-state leaders, including former New York Governor David Paterson and Ruth Hassell-Thompson, former N.Y. state senator and special advisor for policy and community affairs. Other speakers included tech founders Erin Reddrick of ChatBlackGPT, Anthoni Styvens of Akcru, and Hari Eppanapally of Elysium Ventures who educated attendees and discussed ways to bridge access and funding gaps to community-needed resources.
“Despite the low numbers of uninsured people in the state, programs offered by non-profits like MISN have become the bedrock to help many families navigate and properly receive needed healthcare and resources,” said former Gov. Paterson during his keynote.
MISN’s varying programs help over 3,000 people each month. The non-profit predominantly serves marginalized communities and achieved close to 600 at-home visits last year. Home visitation programs are known to improve the health outcomes of disadvantaged groups, especially among mothers and infants, right after childbirth.
“We strive not to turn away anyone seeking help at MISN as we believe children and families are the key to our future,” said Jennifer Lansiquot, executive director at MISN. “We implore everyone to help support our growing needs to allow us to reach more people and help save lives.”
Individuals and organizations can donate via MISN's website to support its mission to foster family and community wellness.
ABOUT MATERNAL INFANT SERVICES NETWORK (MISN)
The Maternal Infant Services Network (MISN) is a non-profit that addresses healthcare disparities and accessibility issues faced by underprivileged families during and after childbirth that result in infant and maternal mortality, preterm birth and low birth weight babies. Through education, advocacy, providing resources and community engagement, MISN strives to combat systemic barriers and foster holistic wellness for all families.
