PITTSBURGH — Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation (MWRIF), the largest research institute in the United States dedicated to women's health and reproductive biology, has received a total of $9.5 million of grant funding since 2021 from the Scaife Family Foundation, including $3 million in December 2024.
The funding supports maternal health programs throughout UPMC's service areas, including Magee CARES, the UPMC Birth Doula program and UPMC Wraparound Services, which support women throughout the pre-natal and post-natal periods. The December 2024 funding also includes a new $500,000 grant for critical capital and donor stewardship projects at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.
"With the Scaife Family Foundation's generosity, more women are receiving the vital support and services they require to live their healthiest lives possible," said Janice Devine, vice president of development at MWRIF. "As a key leader in women's health research, we at UPMC Magee-Womens are grateful for the Scaife Foundation's ongoing support of programs that address critical needs of women."
Magee CARES combines clinical care, education and community outreach to improve outcomes for pregnant and parenting women with substance-use disorders (SUD) and their children. Funding from the Scaife Family Foundation has and continues to enable Magee to support women with a multi-faceted approach including behavioral health therapy, peer recovery, transportation and other services. Magee CARES serves women at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa., UPMC Northwest in Seneca, Pa. and UPMC Horizon in Farrell, Pa. This is the fourth charitable gift that Magee CARES has received from the Scaife Family Foundation.
"Funding for these community SUD providers closes substantial gaps in SUD services in rural Western Pennsylvania and enables UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital to expand our portfolio of patient-centered clinical services, which address the unique medical, behavioral and social needs of families, and prevent morbidity and mortality from substance use," said Elizabeth Krans, M.D., director, Perinatal Addiction Medicine at UPMC. "We are extremely grateful for this support."
In addition to receiving operational support, Magee CARES has received financial support to transform existing clinical spaces at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, which are currently designed for physical health needs, into family-centered environments that support multidisciplinary care with private counseling rooms, welcoming atmospheres and a layout to foster trust and collaboration.
The creation of these spaces will provide UPMC Magee with the perfect opportunity to honor the memory of Jennie K. Scaife, a long-standing supporter of Magee, through a naming opportunity. In addition to placing Ms. Scaife's name on the CARES Safe Space, the Scaife funding will update the donor recognition wall in Magee's main lobby to show appreciation to both Ms. Scaife and the Scaife Family Foundation.
Also receiving grant funding is UPMC's Birth Doula program -- trained non-medical professionals who provide emotional, physical and informational support to pregnant patients before, during and after childbirth, serving more than 800 patients each year and resulting in more vaginal births after cesarean, higher post-partum appointment attendance, higher rates of breastfeeding and fewer preterm deliveries. Additionally, the Birth Doula program expanded to UPMC Horizon in Mercer County in 2023 and at UPMC Hamot in Erie County in 2024. This is the third charitable gift that the Birth Doula program has received from the Foundation.
"We thank the Scaife Family Foundation for sharing our vision to support infants and their families with the healthiest possible start in life and enabling us to expand our reach to regional and rural counties," said Beth Quinn, senior director, Women's Health Operations, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. "Our birth doula program continues to show positive birth outcomes while providing patients with improved experience, education and support during pregnancy and postpartum."
UPMC's Wraparound Services Program also received a portion from the Scaife Family Foundation. The program enhances continuity of care and adds more structural support for necessary patient follow-ups by supporting highly specialized programs that bridge social and structural gaps to quality health outcomes based on infants' and families' individual needs. This is the third charitable gift that UPMC's Wraparound Services Program has received from the Scaife Family Foundation.
"We are proud to support an organization like Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, which has a mission so closely aligned with our own," said David Zywiec, President of the Scaife Family Foundation. "A core mission of our Foundation is to protect women's and children's health and to build healthier communities in Western Pennsylvania where people can lead healthier lives. Jennie K. Scaife, our founder, spent decades of her life serving these causes. The CARES, Birth Doula and Wraparound Services programs fit perfectly within the priorities of the Foundation and of Ms. Scaife and build on our longstanding legacy of service."
