Improving Black Maternal Health: Early Implementation Findings from California's Black Infant Health Program

IntroductionThis paper reviews the scientific basis and reports initial implementation results of California's Black Infant Health Program, a statewide group-based program with complementary one-on-one life planning to improve maternal and infant health among Black mothers and birthing persons.MethodsDescriptive analyses were conducted at the participant and group session level using program evaluation data from the initial three years of program implementation to examine participation rates, rates of service delivery, and participants perceptions of the program.ResultsFrom 2015 to 2018, 3332 Black birthing persons received group and/or life planning and 386 10-session prenatal group series were initiated with an average of 5.9 participants per series. Most sessions delivered all required activities (86.1%) and met requirements for providing food (84.5%), transportation support (72.2%), and childcare (55.4%). More than 90% of responding participants agreed or strongly agreed that BIH helped them manage stress (94.5%), set (97.4%) and achieve (92.9%) goals, and build stronger social connections (94.5%).Conclusions for PracticeThe program was developed in response to evolving scientific knowledge regarding racism as the root cause of health disparities for Black birthing people. Focusing on six interwoven strategies for improving maternal and infant health outcomes, the program is supported by current scientific knowledge and can be feasibly implemented at a level consistent with similar evidence-based models. Black: White disparities in pregnancy and birth outcomes persist, with Black mothers and birthing people continuing to experience substantially less favorable outcomes than their White counterparts. Current scientific knowledge indicates that medical models alone are insufficient for reducing these disparities. California's Black Infant Health Program providing group and one-on-one support warrants more formal testing as a potential promising practice for addressing racism-driven health disparities.