MPHA Members:

You are invited to participate in a unique initiative addressing the high rates of racial disparities in infant mortality that affect Region 5.  The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is working in partnership with HRSA Office of Regional Operations (ORO) to convene a webinar series that will consider root causes of racial disparities that can further inform and strengthen state-initiated efforts to eliminate racial disparities in infant mortality.  The webinars are intended to augment and align with existing state plans, catalyze further action, and accelerate efforts to eliminate racial disparities in infant mortality. 

 

The first webinar will take place on Thursday, February 25, 2021, from 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST with a “Call to Action” for state teams and key partners, and continue with monthly webinars through 2021.  Interested partners may register through the following link from CityMatCH for the kick-off: https://unmc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlf-qrqzMpGN0B63xxfJiqlkPRshogWQai.

 

The Webinar content will focus on foundational issues, with state and local examples, including historical context, the role of racism, social determinants of health, community engagement, and turning data to action. Attendees will also examine opportunities to impact the systems and policies which play into perpetuating racism and, as a result, maintain persistent health inequities amongst different racial and ethnic groups.

 

Black-White racial inequities in infant mortality in Region 5 are among the worst in the nation. 

Here are some key statistics:

·         At the Regional level, the Black infant mortality rate (IMR) and absolute Black-White IMR gap are highest for Region 5.  

·         At the state-level, five of the ten states with the highest Black IMRs are located in Region 5 and four of the five states with the highest absolute Black-White IMR gap are in Region 5. 

·         At the county-level, five of the ten counties with the most excess Black infant deaths are located in Region 5. 

·         Infant mortality rates for the Native American community are also unacceptably high in Region 5. 

 

Your participation is critical, as your organization has the power to impact the systems and policies which play into perpetuating racism and, as a result, maintain persistent health inequities amongst different racial and ethnic groups.  We hope that our collaboration throughout the course of the foundational webinars and beyond can accelerate the existing work in Region 5.

 

Despite years of hard work at the federal, state, and local levels, we know disparities in infant mortality have persisted and in some areas have gotten worse. We cannot win this fight alone or in our separate silos, and hope you will join us as we work to eliminate racial disparities and achieve infant health equity in Region 5.  For questions or more information on the webinar series, please contact the Region 5 MCHB Project Officer, Kathy K. Best, at kbest@hrsa.gov.