First 1,000 Days Hires New Employees for the Patient Navigator Pilot Program

Sarasota Memorial Hospital recently hired two employees to build and oversee the Patient Navigator Pilot Program for First 1,000 Days Sarasota County. Dr. Chelsea Arnold was hired as Program Coordinator and Ms. Chanel Roberts was hired as Patient Navigator.

First 1,000 Days is a partner-led coalition of healthcare, early childhood, human service, government and philanthropic agencies dedicated to helping mothers and young children by improving the system of care primarily for those mothers who received little to no prenatal care during pregnancy.

The Patient Navigator Pilot Program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital is one of several recommendations made by the First 1,000 Days partners to build a more navigable system of care and better connect families, particularly the 52 percent of babies in Sarasota County born into poverty, to available community resources. The initiative, spearheaded by Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, is funded fully through philanthropic support during the three-year pilot period.

“The goal of First 1,000 Days is to weave the fabric of our social safety net so tight that no one falls through the cracks,” said Teri A Hansen, president and CEO of Barancik Foundation. “Chelsea and Chanel play key roles in achieving this goal and we are grateful to the leadership of Sarasota Memorial Hospital for their commitment to this initiative.”

“Sarasota Memorial is excited to be the backbone organization for First 1,000 Days,” said Pam Beitlich, executive director of Women and Children’s Services at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. “We understand that being a new mom is amazing, and it’s a lot. Coordinating and navigating available services will make all the difference.”

Dr. Arnold has a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Florida State University. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Florida. Prior to this position she worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner at the Sarasota County Health Department.

Ms. Roberts has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of South Florida. She was most recently a Strategic Partnerships and Initiative Consultant for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Chanel brings vast knowledge of the community and available services having held social work positions at Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Sarasota Family YMCA and the Manatee County School District.