maternal
Health & Fitness

Landscape Report and New Network Aim to Face NC’s Maternal and Infant Mortality Crisis

@SpectacularMag

CARY, NC – Amid reports of significant increases in maternal mortality across the nation, the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation (FHLI) released a comprehensive analysis of maternal and infant health in North Carolina on April 12, 2023.

maternalThe report, sponsored by the HopeStar Foundation and validated by The Duke Endowment, outlines the current landscape in North Carolina and identifies actionable policy, workforce, health systems, and funding opportunities.

“This report is more than just words on paper. Our team has identified the steps we can and must take, and they are actively pulling together organizations and individuals across North Carolina to create real, lasting change,” said David Reese, president and CEO of FHLI. “With new data out about the rise in maternal mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important now than ever to take a comprehensive, systemic approach to improve outcomes for mothers and newborns.”

The National Center for Health Statistics measured a 40 percent increase in maternal deaths in 2021, a dramatic increase brought about in part by the COVID-19 pandemic. In North Carolina, mothers died twice as often in 2021 compared to 2019.

Along with the maternal and infant health report, FHLI announced the launch of the Maternal and Child Health Equity Action Network (MCHEAN), created through thought partnerships with the HopeStar Foundation and other North Carolina maternal health funders and supported by The Duke Endowment.

“Over my 15 years as a childbirth educator and a birth and postpartum doula, I have witnessed the maternal health climate shift from business as usual, to high alert, to crisis state,” said Danielle Little, a maternal and child health professional with Triangle Health Educators. “The first step in finding a solution to a problem is to admit that there is one. I am thankful for the MCH Landscape Analysis as it frames the work of the MCHEAN. My hope is for participants of the network to feel supported, unpack experiences, heal, and witness their stories drive lasting change.”

MCHEAN will launch in 2023, convening individuals with lived experience, organizations working on maternal and infant health issues, and communities that disproportionately experience higher rates of mortality. The network will be charged with creating partnerships, developing programs, and reforming North Carolina’s policy structure.

“The HopeStar Foundation is excited to partner with The Duke Endowment in supporting The Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation to move the work forward around maternal and infant health in North Carolina,” said Liz Star, the HopeStar Foundation’s founder and president. “We are confident that this collaboration will result in real progress towards reducing maternal and infant mortality rates and addressing racial inequities in maternal health outcomes.”

Read the full report: Progress and Opportunities- Maternal and Child Health Equity in North Carolina

About FHLI

Launched in 1982, under the leadership of James D. Bernstein, the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation develops innovative programs and establishes strong partnerships that advance affordable, sustainable, quality health services that improve the overall health of communities in North Carolina and beyond.

FHLI programs include:

  • Jim Bernstein Community Health Leadership Fellows
  • Jim & Sue Bernstein Health Center Scholarship
  • Center of Excellence for Integrated Care (COE)
  • Results NC
  • NCCARE360
  • NC Oral Health Collaborative (NCOHC)
  • The NC Rural Health Association
About the HopeStar Foundation

The HopeStar Foundation focuses on the health and development of children and families, with an emphasis on the continuum between preconception to age five. By collaborating with philanthropy, nonprofits, government, and community stakeholders, the HopeStar Foundation identifies barriers, convenes experts, proposes innovative solutions, and funds pilot programs to test creative approaches that build on the strengths of families and communities.