By Heather M. Butts

The Fund for Public Health NYC and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently held a discussion about “Protecting the Health of Black Women and Birthing People and their Babies” at the Trinity Commons of the Trinity Church Wall Street Campus. The conversation introduced the Maternal Home Collaborative Model to the audience, which aims to improve Black maternal health and reduce preventable maternal deaths through a variety of support networks and resources. Featured speakers included Dr. Chelsea Clinton, NYC First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan, and Health Department leaders Dr. Michelle Morse and Dr. Leslie Hayes.

Wright began the event with a discussion about safety for Black women giving birth in New York City: “As we look at the data and we look at our own experiences, one of the things that we want to do is make NYC the safest, best place for a Black woman to have babies in the country.” 

Wright introduced Vasan, who spoke about the “unacceptable” nature of poor maternal outcomes. “When we can generate the will, the focus, and urgency, and agree…that certain outcomes are just unacceptable, then we can marshal our resources to make it happen,” Vasan said.

Vasan also discussed the importance of social and structural issues such as housing, wealth and income, and accountability to individuals from birth: “How people are treated at birth, into life, and into educational and professional environments ready to start their own family, really, really matters. These experiences matter. How we align ourselves on a common vision, a common agenda to save lives, matters. We must all agree that the status quo is unacceptable and we must marshal our resources to change it, and we can’t do it without you. It will take all of us together, across industries, agencies, communities, sharing ideas and resources to create healthier and safer pregnancies and childbirth for all.”

Clinton spoke about the challenges faced by all New York City around maternal health. “This city I’m very proud to call home, and yet we know it’s not all that it could be to all…for those of us that are proud New Yorkers, we want to believe that this is the best place on Earth and it could be, but it isn’t always for our Black and brown birthing people.”

Clinton referenced wraparound health services that are not available to all. “We know what it takes to build wraparound services, we know what it takes to…ensure that every birthing person has access to a doula, a midwife; to all the care that she believes she needs and her providers believe that she needs. I find that especially challenging here in 2024 during Women’s History Month because we have continually failed to live up to the promise of what [it should mean] to live in the greatest place on Earth.”

Speaking specifically about preventable maternal deaths, Clinton said that “it’s just unacceptable that we aren’t moving with urgency. . .purpose and deliberation.” She ended with a view toward the future: “While certainly cutting maternal health by 10% is ambitious…we cannot mistake progress for success. We need…to set the next horizon…we’re very proud to be here.”

Clinton, Vasan, and Wright all thanked Morse and Hayes for their contributions to this work. Both leaders spoke about solutions, with Morse laying the foundation for such solutions through an overview of the NYC Health Department’s Maternal Home Collaborative, a pilot initiative where Black birthing people in New York City generally and Brooklyn specifically have access to care that will address and reduce risks before, during, and after pregnancy/birth. The numbers, according to both Hayes and Morse, are clear: 

  • Black women and birthing people in NYC are four times more likely to die from a pregnancy-associated death than their white counterparts
  • 72% of pregnancy-associated deaths among Black women and birthing people are preventable.

The goal of the program is to reduce pregnancy-associated mortality among Black women by 10% by 2030.  

In an interview with the AmNews at the end of the event, Hayes spoke about the importance of the event and the call to action. “It’s great to…look at how we can make things better for Black birthing people. The Maternal Home Collaborative is one of those models that we can really use to make that happen,” she said. “Unless you are in a healthy state as far as your mind is concerned, how do you then deal with pregnancy [and] birthing? I’m glad we’re here, I’m glad we have the call to action, and we’re going to move forward and make changes here in New York City.” 

To learn more about the Maternal Home Collaborative, visit www.fphnyc.org/mhcm or call 311.

This post was originally published on New York Amsterdam News.