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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Funding will support public health and community-initiated solutions to improve maternal health outcomes in Hennepin County, especially for Black and Indigenous mothers
Hennepin County has set aside $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to support critical maternal and child public health activities, create community-initiated solutions, and evaluate programs to improve maternal health outcomes for people and communities experiencing poor outcomes, especially Black and Indigenous mothers in Hennepin County.
Commissioner Angela Conley, District 4, who authored this board action, asked her colleagues to join her in supporting and prioritizing this investment. “As commissioners, we represent tens of thousands of mothers. Regardless of who you are or your proximity to mothers, parents, caregivers and children, the health of our maternal health efforts and outcomes impacts us all,” she said. “It is imperative that we take care of all mothers and babies in Hennepin County, especially our Black and Indigenous mothers whose disparities in the birthing experience are alarming and are of great concern,” said Commissioner Conley.
Health disparities in maternal health outcomes are long-standing, persistent and rooted in systemic racism. They are also getting worse. This is true throughout the U.S., and in Minnesota. While county-level data on maternal mortality is currently lacking, national data indicates that the number of reported pregnancy-related deaths has steadily increased from 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987, to 17.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.
Moreover, national data consistently shows that the rate of maternal death among Black mothers is more than double that of white mothers. In 2019, the rate of preterm birth among Black women was about 50 percent higher than the rate among white or Hispanic women.
“Systemic racism creates risks for mothers that contribute to poor birth outcomes,” said Meredith Martinez, family health area manager at Hennepin County Public Health. “Babies born to women and birthing people who identify as American Indian, Asian, Black, and Latino have rates of low birthweight that are higher than average. These people are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care.”
In addition to the direct harm to health caused by COVID-19 virus, the pandemic has also worsened many existing societal challenges. The so called “secondary effects of COVID” - social isolation, economic instability, and lack of access to care - have only increased the urgency to invest in maternal health in Hennepin County.
Public health, health care providers, community resource partners, cultural leaders, and families all play a role in improving maternal health outcomes. Stress, trauma, racism, poverty, and other social determinants of health, as well as access to care, and many other social supports all also impact maternal health and related disparities. Further, because maternal health is directly linked to infant health, it is expected that this initiative will also improve infant health outcomes in the county. This investment directly supports and strengthens Hennepin county's ongoing work to reduce disparities.
Funding focus areas
Funding comes from the federal American Rescue Act Plan. Efforts will focus on communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in four key areas, described below.
1. Expand existing programs focused on improving maternal health outcomes
- Funds will be allocated to expand maternal and child health services and enhance implementation of culturally congruent doula services, social service supports and health education using a trauma-informed approach.
2. Develop and implement a birth justice plan
- Funds will go to developing and implementing a birth justice plan to improve maternal and infant health outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
- Funds will be used to build upon community-initiated solutions to address infant health outcomes in Hennepin County.
- With partners, Hennepin County will implement a community engagement model that brings together the perspectives of the community to co-create a strategic plan to address maternal health outcomes.
3. Invest in community-initiated solutions and culturally congruent and innovative practices to reduce disparities
- Funds will be provided to community-based organizations that provide health services, augmenting and supporting their ability to implement culturally congruent services.
4. Increase capacity for data collection, reporting and analysis to support measurement strategies
- In order to address the current lack of county-level data on maternal health, funds will be used to enhance Hennepin County Public Health’s capacity for data collection, reporting and analysis to support measurement strategies that will allow for monitoring of maternal and infant health.
Learn more about this board action.
Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at hennepin.us/stories.
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