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 services and to be linked to other Black moms for a circle of support with each other.

“We look at stress reduction,” she said. “We look at reducing the risk factors and simultaneously raise their protective factors.”

Additional help with housing stability, nutrition and food stability and mental health services gives moms an extra layer of protection, and their baby a better chance at good health.

Through BIH, moms participate in sessions before and after birth, with transportation if needed to and from doctor appointments. They also access incentives, resources, a life planner to help support the birthing process, as well as doula referrals.

As needed, support services are offered with a public health nurse and social worker. Also, free workshops, financial literacy, SIDS/Safe Sleep for Infants, school readiness, stress and depression management.

Manning said no other program like BIH exists, and the data shows a critical need. Among the services, moms who are currently pregnant or up to six months postpartum can apply at the website, and they will be contacted to receive more information.

“The main thing that sets [BIH]apart is that it’s been studied and shown and proven this is an approach to help – not ever say reduce disparity because look at how many years it’s taken to get where we are. We can trace it all the way back to slavery,” she said.

The program aims to improve birth outcomes through education, through reliable and dedicated connections.

“It’s to be a support system that over time allows women to recognize the things that they can change,” she said. “We’re trying to ensure they are seeing their doctors, and getting questions answered before, during and after pregnancy.”

One study shows the odds of survival increase dramatically when Black babies have access to Black doctors.

A 2020 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study said that compared to Black infants treated by white doctors, Black infants treated by Black doctors have half the mortality risk.

“When accounting for all controls, racial concordance lowers mortality risk for Black infants by 39%. The gap in mortality risk for Black infants is smaller among board certified pediatricians, regardless of race, compared to non-pediatricians, but the mortality gap persists among Black infants treated by white pediatricians compared to Black pediatricians,” the report states.

Once the baby is born, some moms are already thinking about early childhood development.

Maria Harris said that low income moms can tap many services through LBUSD Head Start and Early Head Start. Children from birth to five years old can receive 3.5 hours a day or a full seven-hour day of high quality center-based care and education.

“We embrace the provision of services through a multi-generational approach that builds on the premise that parents are the child’s first and most important teacher,” said Harris, director of LBUSD Head Start  and Early  Head Start  Programs.

Families access leadership and advocacy training, family engagement, child growth development, school readiness, health, nutrition, mental health and early intervention services.

“Families are connected to vital resources in the community such as medical, dental, legal, employment/training and many others through the Family Support Staff who will support the family through the program transitions,” she said.

Among their several offerings, parents and children will access school readiness with research based curriculums, social emotional development, nutrition, health and mental health consultants. There are opportunities for family engagement and developing family goals.

She said they can also tap community programs, including domestic violence assistance, employment and training, housing and basic needs, legal and immigration, tutoring, homework help, literacy, as well as health and dental care, to name a few.

Across Long Beach and Signal Hill, the program hosts 25 locations with most centers located on the campus of Long Beach Unified School District schools, as well as five other community locations.

Child potty training is available, and children do not need to be potty trained to join the program. Right now, Head Start and Early Head Start are enrolling for children ages birth to five years old.

“All services are free of cost to qualifying families. Priority is given to families who meet income eligibility guidelines, have foster children, are experiencing homelessness or inadequate housing, have a child with a disability, or are facing other circumstances that warrant the need for early childhood care and education services,” she said.

For more information, see:

The PNAS Study, https://rrapp.hks.harvard.edu/having-a-black-doctor-statistically-reduces-mortality-risk-for-black-infants-particularly-those-with-complex-cases/

Black Infant Health services, and application,

https://www.longbeach.gov/health/services/directory/black-infant-health/

On Head Start, call 562-426-8144, or see

https://head-start.lbschools.net/

On various Long Beach resources and services,

https://longbeach.gov/recovery/opportunities/assistance-programs/