Go Buffalo Mom
Summary of the Pitch
This document will persuasively tell the story of your program to readers who have little or noinformation about the issue or the need for your solution. The basic outline of this document
should look something like the list below. This outline is intentionally similar to the Pitch Outline
provided to you, and will help us as we move forward with the development of the pitch.

1) The Opportunity- Explain what is at stake
After	  40	  years	  of	  continued	  decline,	  Buffalo	  is	  experiencing	  an	  economic	  renaissance	  -­‐	  yet	  we	  remain	  one	  of	  the	  poorest	  cities	  in	  our	  nation.	  	  While	  many	  in	  our	  community	  are	  benefitting	  from	  this	  financial	  revival,	  many	  remain	  vulnerable	  and	  disenfranchised.	  We	  must	  ensure	  that	  our	  community’s	  rising	  tide	  lifts	  all	  boats	  if	  we	  are	  to	  create	  a	  community	  where	  all	  have	  equal	  opportunity	  to	  achieve	  their	  potential	  and	  lead	  healthy,	  fulfilled	  lives.	  
Ensuring	  access	  to	  an	  effective	  transportation	  system	  is	  a	  critical	  step	  in	  achieving	  the	  community	  we	  deserve.	  	  Transportation	  opens	  up	  nearly	  every	  opportunity	  we	  enjoy	  and	  enables	  us	  to	  make	  most	  of	  our	  choices	  real.	  Safe,	  affordable	  and	  reliable	  transportation	  is	  essential	  to	  connecting	  us	  to	  needed	  services,	  including	  health	  care	  and	  health	  related	  activities	  -­‐	  and	  poor	  access	  to	  transportation	  likewise	  means	  that	  many	  go	  without	  these	  critical	  supports.
2) Why does it matter?
When	  it	  comes	  to	  accessing	  needed	  services	  the	  stakes	  are	  highest,	  and	  the	  return	  on	  investment	  greatest,	  for	  pregnant	  moms.	  Transportation	  means	  access;	  access	  means	  care;	  care	  can	  make	  the	  difference	  for	  healthy	  birth	  outcomes;	  and	  healthy	  birth	  outcomes	  have	  far	  reaching	  physical,	  social	  and	  economic	  implications.	  
Our	  research	  showed	  that	  the	  typical	  low	  income	  pregnant	  mom	  cobbles	  together	  a	  patchwork	  of	  unreliable	  transportation	  solutions.	  	  She	  likely	  does	  not	  own	  a	  car	  and	  often,	  with	  children	  in	  tow,	  gets	  rides	  from	  family;	  makes	  inefficient	  use	  of	  public	  transportation;	  occasionally	  splurges	  for	  a	  taxi;	  or	  even	  walks	  when	  all	  else	  fails.	  	  Her	  experiences	  with	  failed	  rides	  and	  expensive	  taxi	  service	  tell	  her	  that	  public	  transportation	  is	  often	  her	  best	  solution	  to	  accessing	  medical	  care.	  	  Yet,	  she	  may	  not	  fully	  understand	  how	  to	  use	  public	  transportation	  or	  technology	  aids	  to	  assist	  her.	  	  	  All	  of	  this	  uncertainty	  about	  transportation	  adds	  to	  her	  stress,	  which	  is	  not	  conducive	  to	  healthy	  birth	  outcomes.	  
Lack	  of	  adequate	  prenatal	  care	  is	  an	  important	  factor	  in	  preterm	  birth	  and	  other	  poor	  birth	  outcomes.	  According	  to	  our	  data,	  preterm	  births	  for	  the	  city	  of	  Buffalo	  are	  the	  highest	  for	  New	  York	  State	  cities	  at	  11.4%,	  narrowly	  missing	  a	  grade	  of	  “F”	  on	  the	  March	  of	  Dimes	  national	  report.	  	  Preterm	  and	  low	  birth	  weight	  places	  children	  at	  greater	  risk	  of	  higher	  medical	  costs,	  neurological	  impairments,	  lower	  average	  IQ,	  developmental	  problems,	  and	  being	  enrolled	  in	  special	  education	  class	  (nearly	  50%	  more	  likely).	  The	  full	  economic	  burden	  of	  such	  events	  is	  difficult	  to	  calculate;	  however,	  medical	  costs	  for	  a	  full	  term,	  healthy	  baby	  in	  just	  the	  first	  year	  of	  life	  averages	  $17,775	  compared	  to	  $76,487	  for	  a	  premature	  birth.

3) What is the solution?
GO	  Buffalo	  Mom	  works	  within	  the	  OB	  clinic	  to	  provide	  personalized	  transportation	  education	  and	  trip	  planning	  services	  to	  low-­‐income	  pregnant	  moms,	  and	  includes	  a	  financial	  education	  and	  savings	  incentive	  program	  to	  make	  transportation	  more	  affordable.	  	  In	  the	  clinic,	  a	  transportation	  navigator	  works	  with	  pregnant	  women	  to	  assess	  their	  trip	  needs	  and	  develop	  an	  individualized	  trip	  plan.	  Together	  they	  identify	  the	  most	  efficient	  travel	  routes,	  and	  the	  navigator	  helps	  coordinate	  medical	  appointments,	  WIC,	  and	  trips	  to	  the	  pharmacy,	  grocery	  store,	  and	  other	  key	  services	  that	  contribute	  to	  healthy	  births.
Through	  the	  navigator,	  families	  also	  have	  access	  to	  a	  savings	  program	  that	  helps	  address	  the	  affordability	  of	  transportation.	  This	  program	  provides	  a	  financial	  counselor	  who	  helps	  connect	  the	  family	  to	  mainstream	  financial	  institutions,	  provides	  personalized	  financial	  education,	  and	  helps	  them	  identify	  a	  workable	  savings	  plan,	  which	  is	  leveraged	  to	  purchase	  unlimited	  transportation	  passes.	  With	  transportation	  expenses	  made	  more	  manageable,	  families	  can	  then	  focus	  on	  building	  their	  financial	  future.	  
While	  this	  solution	  is	  simple	  and	  elegant,	  it	  draws	  upon	  a	  unique	  alignment	  of	  partners	  to	  coordinate	  both	  existing	  and	  expanded	  services.	  	  	  The	  solution	  achieves	  long-­‐term	  benefits	  by	  building	  a	  lifeline	  to	  self-­‐sufficiency	  through	  transportation	  independence	  and	  better	  money	  management.
If	  we	  do	  nothing,	  we	  will	  fail	  to	  reverse	  the	  trend	  toward	  high	  risk	  births,	  causing	  our	  whole	  community	  to	  suffer.	  	  We	  will	  continue	  to	  direct	  funds	  to	  high	  cost	  health	  care	  interventions	  instead	  of	  investing	  dollars	  in	  low	  cost	  prevention	  strategies.	  Our	  infant	  mortality	  rates,	  especially	  among	  babies	  born	  to	  African	  American	  mothers,	  will	  remain	  higher	  than	  rates	  in	  some	  underdeveloped	  nations.	  If	  we	  succeed,	  health	  care	  costs	  decline;	  fewer	  children	  enter	  the	  special	  education	  system;	  and	  more	  families	  celebrate	  their	  baby’s	  first	  birthday.
4) Why Now, Why Us	  Adopted	   in	   February	   2015,	   our	   Regional	   Plan	   for	   Sustainable	   Development	   entitled	   “One	   Region	  Forward:	  A	  New	  Way	  to	  Plan	  for	  Buffalo	  Niagara”	  weaves	  together	  nearly	  three	  years	  of	  research,	  community	  engagement,	  partnership	  building	  and	  planning	  by	  over	  5,000	  citizens	  and	  more	  than	  700	   local	   organizations.	   Funded	   through	   the	   HUD-­‐DOT-­‐EPA	   Federal	   Partnership	   for	   Sustainable	  Communities,	   the	   plan’s	   identified	   strategies	   include	   promoting	   alternative	   transportation	  options	  and	  embracing	  emerging	  technologies	  to	  get	  the	  most	  out	  of	  our	  transportation	  system	  and	   address	   the	   many	   barriers	   faced	   by	   low	   income	   mothers	   and	   other	   transportation	  disadvantaged	   individuals	   in	   accessing	   healthcare,	   as	   well	   as	   employment,	   education,	   shopping	  and	  recreational	  opportunities.
In	  the	  social	  service	  sector	  of	  Buffalo,	  another	  major	  collaboration	  was	  underway:	  the	  Healthy	  Start	  Healthy	  Future	  for	  All	  Coalition,	  a	  network	  of	  over	  50	  health	  care	  organizations,	  medical	  providers,	  school-­‐based	  and	  university	  organizations,	  government	  entities,	  human	  service	  organizations	  and	  faith-­‐based	  partners	  committed	  to	  strengthening	  the	  systems	  and	  community	  supports	  that	  promote	  maternal,	  infant	  and	  child	  health.	  The	  Coalition	  is	  leveraging	  partnerships	  to	  develop	  a	  coordinated	  and	  effective	  medical	  and	  public	  health	  system	  that	  improves	  health	  outcomes	  for	  the	  most	  vulnerable	  populations	  in	  Buffalo	  and	  Erie	  County,	  NY.
Finally,	  the	  Centers	  for	  Medicaid	  and	  Medicare	  Services	  (CMS)	  and	  New	  York	  State	  Department	  of	  Health	  are	  investing	  over	  $8	  billion	  over	  the	  next	  5	  years	  to	  re-­‐design	  the	  current	  Medicaid	  program	  through	  the	  Delivery	  System	  Reform	  Incentive	  Program	  (DSRIP).	  The	  goal	  is	  to	  reduce	  avoidable	  hospital	  stays	  by	  improving	  the	  experience	  of	  care,	  improving	  the	  health	  of	  populations,	  and	  reducing	  per	  capita	  costs	  of	  health	  care.	  We	  are	  partnering	  with	  local	  DSRIP	  entities	  to	  assist	  in	  integrating	  interventions	  addressing	  social	  and	  behavioral	  issues	  with	  maternal	  and	  pediatric	  clinical	  care.	  
The	   strategic	   roadmap	   developed	   by	   One	   Region	   Forward	   through	   the	   HUD	   Sustainable	  Communities	  initiative,	  the	  transportation	  tools	  and	  resources	  of	  the	  GO	  Buffalo	  Niagara	  Initiative,	  the	  expertise	  and	  bandwidth	  of	  UWBEC’s	  Healthy	  Start,	  Healthy	  Future	  for	  All	  Coalition,	  and	  federal	  investment	   to	   reform	   health	   care	   recognizing	   the	   importance	   of	   addressing	   social	   determinants	  (such	   as	   access	   to	   transportation),	   have	   all	   come	   together,	   along	   with	   new	   technologies,	   at	   just	   the	  right	  moment	  to	  lay	  the	  foundation	  to	  develop	  and	  implement	  GO	  Buffalo	  Mom.	  
What	  is	  the	  Return	  on	  Investment?	  	  Need	  to	  calculate	  an	  accurate	  figure	  based	  on	  percent	  risk	  rate	  for	  low	  income	  mothers	  in	  Buffalo	  (perinatal	  center	  stats)	  and	  research	  on	  mitigation	  of	  risk	  through	  prenatal	  visit	  compliance.	  Cost	  savings	  of	  first	  year	  medical	  is	  $58,712/healthy	  birth.