PASOs Program, now growing statewide, earns national honor

March 1, 2012

Leone

Julie Smithwick-Leone was in Washington, D.C.,
recently to accept a national award for the PASOs
Program. At home, she was named to the ninth class
of "20 Under 40" leaders by The State newspaper.

The PASOs Program at the Arnold School of Public Health has received the Promising Practice of the Year Award from the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP).

The national award follows the program's designation last year of being named "A Promising Practice" by the association, said Julie Smithwick-Leone, executive director for PASOs, which addresses the health needs of Latina women and their children in 13 South Carolina counties.

The award was presented Feb.14 at the 2012 annual AMCHP conference in Washington, D.C., which focused on "Improving Maternal and Child Health Across the Life Span: Acting Today for Healthy Tomorrows."

Located in Washington, D.C., the AMCHP is a national advocate for state public health leaders working to improve the health of women, children, youth and families, including those with special healthcare needs. The organization has three categories to recognize successful programs – Emerging Practice, Promising Practice and Best Practice.

"This award recognizes the quality of work that we are doing and is confirmation that PASOs is headed in the right direction," said Smithwick-Leone. "It is national recognition for work that is being done throughout South Carolina to improve the lives and health of Latino women and their children."

The award comes as PASOs also is experiencing recognition by key funding agencies. In recent months, The Duke Endowment awarded a $350,000 grant to the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center to continue funding for the PASOs Program, which originated in Richland and Lexington counties in 2005 and means "steps" in Spanish. The new funding from The Duke Endowment, which previously had provided a $445,430 grant for PASOs, will enable PASOs to focus on prevention through the training of Latino community health leaders who provide culturally appropriate health messages to Latina women and families. In 2011, PASOs also received a $40,000 grant from The Children's Trust of South Carolina to support parenting education to prevent first time incidences of child abuse and neglect in Latino families.

"PASOs supports hospital systems and other organizations across South Carolina through strategic partnerships and advocacy, which increase access to care and coordination of care for this disadvantaged population," she said.

PASOs is part of the Arnold School's Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies. Its services are critical in a state which has the fourth fastest growing Latino population in the United States.

Most Latinos in South Carolina are in their prime years for starting families, making the need for information and services affecting their reproductive health particularly vital, Smithwick-Leone said.

"The PASOs program continues to be a public health success story and an Arnold School success story," said Dr. Tom Chandler, dean of the Arnold School of Public Health. "Having this national award recognizes the PASOs program's commitment to improve the lives of a vulnerable population in South Carolina. The PASOs program not only has a statewide reach, but is a model that can be used throughout our nation."

In addition to serving Richland and Lexington counties, PASOs also serves Edgefield, Greenville, Beaufort, Jasper, Newberry, Saluda, Clarendon, Williamsburg, Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

Visit www.scpasos.org to learn more about the PASOs program. Documentaries now tell the story of PASOs on YouTube. Visit http://www.youtube.com/user/Pasosprograms/feed?feature=context.

For information on the AMCHP, go to www.amchp.org.

The PASOs program is featured on the AMCHP "Innovation Station": http://www.amchp.org/AboutAMCHP/BestPractices/InnovationStation/Pages/default.aspx.

Julie Smithwick-Leone honored as one of '20 Under 40'

March 1, 2012

Young leaders making an impact.

Dedicated to building up those around them.

Committed to bringing a brighter future to South Carolina's Capital City.

With these criteria, it is hardly any surprise to those who know Julie Smithwick-Leone that she was selected for the ninth class of "20 Under 40" honorees by The State newspaper.

Smithwick-Leone, executive director of the PASOs program at the Arnold School of Public Health, was recognized for her work to improve the health of Latino families throughout South Carolina.

"Committed" and "dedicated" have described the advocate since her decision to serve in the Peace Corps after earning a bachelor's degree in international studies and Spanish from the University of Georgia. Determined to see a project through, Smithwick-Leone spent more than four years in Ecuador. One of her goals was to develop a community center in an impoverished area that would give children a safe place for study – away from the violence of street gangs. Her refusal to give up on her plan established clear lessons for the future. She said she "learned to listen, to stay the course, and to learn from those around me."

The experience "was the best thing that I could have done," she said. "The Peace Corps laid the foundation for the work that I am doing now."learned to listen, to staythe course, and to learnfrom those around melearned to listen, to staythe course, and to learnfrom those around me

Returning to the United States, Smithwick-Leone pursued a master's degree in social work at the University of South Carolina and became interested in Latino health when a forward-thinking social worker in the state Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Amy Nienhuis, asked her to study the state's growing Latino population to determine if there were gaps in services and other health disparities. Her work ultimately led to the development of the PASOs program – which means "steps" in Spanish.

Today, PASOs reaches 13 counties statewide and served over 9,000 Latino men, women and children in 2011 alone.

With an initial grant from the March of Dimes, the program's success has garnered the attention of community organizations that have financially supported the program, as well as The Duke Endowment, which has committed more than $780,000 to PASOs. On Feb. 14, PASOs received the Promising Practice of the Year Award by the national Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (see related article this page).

PASOs, housed with the Arnold School's Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, also has spawned a new program, the Puentes Project, which provides leadership training for Latino men and women to serve as community ambassadors and bridge the cultural and language gap between the community, healthcare providers and policymakers. The program in Richland and Lexington counties is being funded by $1 million from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and six local funding partners.

Smithwick-Leone said it is the staff, volunteers and community health workers who inspire her daily. "They work tirelessly, despite formidable obstacles. They are what keep me going, and together we are trying to forge positive changes."

To read more, visit http://www.thestate.com/20under40/.

Columbia, SC 29208 • 803-777-7000 • sphweb@mailbox.sc.edu