Today we’d like to introduce you to Mattie Mason.
Hi Mattie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Mattie Rhodes Mason from Newton, Texas. After graduating from Newton High School in 1974, I continued my education at Prairie View A&M University and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
My nursing career of over 40 years began as a staff nurse at Ben Taub Hospital on the Observation Unit and later transferred to the former Jefferson Davis Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit. In the late 80’s, due to being a new working mother and the need for flexibility, I realized bedside care could not be my nursing path, and I had to examine other options. I had a vision inspired by God to start my own business, and the name of the business was New Life. The name indicated that any client for whom my business provided care would experience the opportunity for a new life. I witnessed while at Jefferson Davis and interacting with the mothers/babies in the hospital how the lack of early quality prenatal care impacted the outcomes for healthy deliveries. Therefore, in September 1989, I became the Founder/President of New Life Perinatal Health Care Services, Inc. (New Life), presently providing home health care, case management to high-risk pregnant women/teens, and educational/consulting services.
At begin of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, I was determined that New Life would continue to assist high-risk pregnant women and teens to receive quality prenatal care. According to March of Dimes Prenatal Care Peri statistics, “In 2018, about 1 in 5 infants (20.6% of live births) were born to a woman receiving inadequate prenatal care in Texas.” From March 24th to July 31st, 2020, New Life has assisted 189 high-risk pregnant women/teens in receiving prenatal care. The client’s ages range from 14-40 years old. My goal for the company has always been healthy mothers, healthy babies, and productive lives; therefore, the teens who continue to require assistance are referred to the Teenage Incentive Program, Inc. (TIP). Once admitted into TIP, the teens receive support through mentoring with goal setting and career planning.
Because of my passion for serving pregnant and parenting teens, I have received numerous awards. February 2010, I received the March of Dimes Perinatal Excellence Award in Obstetrics for Region 6 and in October 2010, I received the March of Dimes Perinatal Excellence Award in Obstetrics for the State of Texas. On January 18, 2020, I received the Zeta Phi Beta Centennial Service Award.
Being committed to the community and helping others, I am an active member of Hope City Church and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated. I am a life member of the Prairie View A&M University Alumni Association, and presently, I am serving my second term as the Prairie View Nurses Alumni Chapter President.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
New Life is the major donor for TIP because TIP does not accept government funding. The struggles have been keeping the businesses with the many changes in the funding for New Life with changes in Legislation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I became a Registered Nurse in 1974 and was a nurse at the former Jefferson Davis Hospital (JD). At that time, JD was the 3rd largest maternity hospital in the nation, and I worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care. Later, I became the Assistant Head Nurse of the Low-Risk nursery and loved the care of this patient population. In 1989, I began New Life Perinatal Health Care Services, Inc., and developed a support program for high school pregnancy programs in Houston/Harris County. I was inspired to change the support program into a non-profit 501 (C) 3 company, and this was the beginning of the Teenage Incentive Program, Inc.
New Life provides intervention medical care with a home visiting nursing program, and TIP provides support, career planning, and mentoring. In 2010, March of Dimes nominated the mentoring and case management program as the best in Texas and Region 6. TIP has developed into a drop-out prevention company for at-risk students, with the target population being pregnant and parenting teens. The drop-out prevention program motto is: “YOU CAN, it’s not how smart you are, but how Determined.” The drop-out prevention program name became STARS-Students Taking All Right Steps. The drop-out prevention program was implemented in HISD in 2001 and was nominated by the students as the best Partner in Public Schools for their pregnancy school, which is now closed. TIP provided the drop-out prevention program in Olle Middle School, and Olle went from the Middle School with the highest teen pregnancy to the lowest teen pregnancy rate.
TIP continues to provide the dropout prevention program in Aldine ISD and has Annual Mentor/Mentee Banquets, which recognize community leaders partnering with TIP and choose Mentor and Mentee of the Year. On May 1, 2022, 20 students from Aldine ISD, teachers, and community leaders attended the Annual Mentor/Mentee Celebration at the Taste of Texas Restaurant. October is National Dropout Prevention Month, and TIP is having a Dropout Prevention Awareness Breakfast at Hall Success Academy for students, parents, teachers, and community leaders to motivate students and educate the adults.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
The thing I like best about Houston is that it is very diverse, and the least thing I like about Houston is it is too big.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.teenageincentive.com
