Protecting the Maternal Health of the Black Community

By Heather M. Butts Originally appeared in Word in Black 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,...