A new mobile app intended to connect pregnant women and mothers to private and public resources available across Mississippi has been unveiled by Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office.
The free Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance (MAMA) app was introduced as an additional service to the website that was made available in October 2023 as part of the attorney general’s campaign to assist mothers in a post-Roe v. Wade society.
“Our state is blessed with countless public and private resources, but it can be challenging to navigate while also adjusting to a changing family,” Fitch said.
“Whether you are a mother-to-be or a mother of three, MAMA can quickly connect women and their children to the resources they need to thrive, including infant essentials, food, financial assistance, clothing, shelter, job opportunities, and childcare.”
Like the website, the new mobile app is designed to connect mothers directly to the resources and services in three clicks or less and is organized into the following nine categories:
- Pregnancy: Receive a free pregnancy test or ultrasound, visit a center with baby essentials, find a diaper bank, or take a childbirth and parenting class.
- Health: Enroll in Medicaid, find free health services near you, connect with a mental health counselor, seek help for substance abuse/addiction, or download health/pregnancy/childbirth tips.
- Adoption: Learn more about adoption, locate safe haven baby boxes, or explore other life-affirming options.
- Food: Sign up for food benefits and assistance, locate food pantries and community kitchens, or access free formula.
- Goods: Find a resource center near you with car seats, strollers, cribs, diapers and wipes, maternity and infant clothing, and other household items.
- Safety: Find a domestic abuse shelter or rape crisis center, connect with a confidential counselor, or request legal aid.
- Money: Apply for financial assistance and government benefits for food, rent/mortgages, transportation, and child care; learn more about child support enforcement; or find a financial planning and literacy class.
- Child Care: Locate a child care center near you or apply for financial assistance.
- Jobs: Search job openings, enroll in job training courses, or apply for financial aid for college
Since October, more than 100 new resources have been added to the service directory.
The attorney general’s office is encouraging public, private, and faith-based entities seeking to be involved in the MAMA program to click here. Organizations and agencies that would like to help spread the word about the initiative to women and families can request brochures here.
