Black Infant Health for Moms, Free Early Childhood Services

By Dianne Anderson More than any other race or ethnic group, Black moms are at risk of either dying during childbirth or having their baby die in that first critical year of life — a statistic that baffles some, but others say it’s a predictable outcome of unequal access to healthcare. For Gwendolyn Manning, reaching the community to let Black moms know the best options during pregnancy is a matter of survival. Through her outreach, a continuing public awareness campaign, she said their program has grown, easily reaching 150 women with critical and consistent services. “When women come into the BIH program, they come in knowing that it’s a program for pregnant Black women,” said Manning, BIH Program Coordinator of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department. She said moms access many adjacent services, good amenities and free giveaways, but the core of the program model is to support Black moms during pregnancy and during the postpartum period. “We provide them with things like education and information, and individual case management. They get access to public services, mental health and family support referrals. It’s really helping women stabilize during pregnancy,” she said. The experience also sets moms up for ongoing...