Project Summary:
This event addresses a critical gap in the healthcare workforce’s ability to deliver equity-centered, culturally responsive maternal care. Black birthing people experience maternal mortality rates three to four times higher than their White counterparts, driven by systemic barriers, implicit bias, and inequities in access. (CDC, 2021) The Forum will focus on three urgent practice gaps:
- Reduce inequitable cesarean delivery overuse. Black women are disproportionately likely to undergo cesarean deliveries exposing them to increased risk of complications and future adverse outcomes (DHS, 2020). Outcomes: Providers implement equitable care practices, strengthen patient counseling, and track disparities in delivery outcomes.
- Address perinatal mental health. Perinatal mental health needs are under-identified and undertreated in Black communities, despite strong evidence of the role of depression and anxiety in poor maternal and infant outcomes (WiDHS, 2023). Outcomes: Increased use of screening tools, improved referral pathways, and stronger integration of mental health into routine maternal care.
- Strengthen father/partner involvement. Father or partner involvement remains insufficiently supported and integrated into care models. National research shows men often lack knowledge of basic infant care practices, (Lee, 2021) and providers rarely engage fathers in prenatal education (Alio, et al. 2013). Outcomes: Greater provider engagement of fathers, increased participation in care and education, and recognition of fatherhood as a determinant of health.
Through national and state-level data, community engagement, and feedback from prior convenings, stakeholders have highlighted the urgent need for actionable strategies on these learning objectives. Speakers will combine expertise and lived experience to provide actionable strategies, with AHW funding supporting access, speaker fees, and educational content to equip attendees to improve maternal outcomes in Wisconsin. The Black Birth Forum will convene a diverse and multidisciplinary audience committed to advancing health equity and improving outcomes for Black birthing people.
Attendees will include healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, doulas, midwives, and mental health professionals, alongside grassroots advocates, nonprofit leaders, academics, and community organizers. This audience will represent a powerful blend of clinical expertise, lived experience, and advocacy. Healthcare systems such as Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Ascension, and Advocate Aurora will be represented, along with nursing and medical students from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Mount Mary University, and Alverno College. Doula collectives and birthworker organizations will also participate, contributing community-based perspectives and expertise in culturally responsive care.
In addition, the Forum will engage professionals working in other areas of the social determinants of health, including housing, education, and economic stability, reflecting the holistic factors that shape maternal and infant outcomes. Importantly, many of these professionals are Black women, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people, whose leadership and lived experiences will remain central to the dialogue. By centering their expertise, the Forum will foster intersectional and inclusive collaboration across sectors.