Region 6 Birth Equity Assessment

The Office of Women’s Health and Birth Equity (OWHBE) worked with the Region 6 Perinatal Quality Collaborative to conduct a birth equity assessment and develop a plan for birth equity action to address maternal and infant health disparities in the region. The results of the assessment were used to create a birth equity ecosystem map for the region with areas of need to advance birth equity at four levels of health impact: living conditions; service environment; clinical and long-lasting protective interventions; and counseling and education. Collaborative members selected a priority area for FY24, which is to expand postpartum care with frequent check-ups and a focus on mental health. OWHBE then supported the region in identifying key systems change strategies to address this priority area and developed action plans for three key strategies: integration of postpartum mental health screening into well-child visits, group prenatal care, and storytelling to normalize perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Those action plans are being carried out by workgroups in FY24, supported by group facilitation from OWHBE.