Mainline Health Systems, Inc. (MHSI) is proud to announce it has received a mini grant from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas to help address critical gaps in access to essential infant formula for families whose needs are not fully met by the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Many families face significant financial and logistical challenges when infants require specialized formulas that are not reimbursed or covered by WIC. These formulas can be costly and difficult to obtain, creating barriers that may jeopardize infant health during a critical period of growth and development. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than one in three WIC households reported difficulty obtaining infant formula during the height of the national shortage in 2022, and nearly 20 percent of families continued to experience challenges accessing formula as recently as 2023, underscoring the ongoing need for targeted, community based solutions.
With support from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, Mainline Health Systems will implement an infant formula assistance initiative to ensure that children in the community receive proper nutrition, regardless of their family’s financial or coverage limitations. Community health workers and obstetrics (OB) staff will play a central role in the success of this effort by sharing information with families through clinic visits, direct patient engagement, and community outreach. Case managers, working closely with community health workers, will assess each family’s circumstances using established eligibility criteria to ensure formula assistance is provided to those who need it most.
“This grant will support patients and infants served by Mainline's Women's Health Clinic, helping ensure access to various infant formulas for families in South Arkansas,” said Heath Reep, Director of Care Management. “The need for this support was identified directly by our maternal health Community Health Workers, who work closely with patients and understand the barriers they face. Through our partnership with the Blue and You Foundation, this investment addresses an immediate, on-the-ground need and represents one of several ways Mainline is working to confront Arkansas' maternal health crisis by reducing gaps in care and improving outcomes for mothers and babies.”
MHSI remains committed to advancing health equity and supporting families through comprehensive, community based care. This initiative represents a meaningful step toward ensuring every infant has a healthy and strong start in life.
About Mainline Health Systems
Since 1978, Mainline Health Systems has served the residents of Southeast Arkansas with a compassionate approach and a commitment to the highest standard of medical, dental, and behavioral health care. From its first office in Portland all those years ago, Mainline Health Systems has grown to 28 locations across Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Columbia, Drew, Grant, Lincoln, and Pulaski counties. To learn more about Mainline Health Systems Inc., visit https://www.mainlinehealth.net/
About the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas
The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, established and funded by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, supports programs designed to improve the health of Arkansans statewide. To learn more, visit https://blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org
