Earlier this fall, 125 people attended the 2020 Virtual Convening, an all-day event covering topics related to maternal and infant health, and how we can better advocate for Black families.
During the convening, FLOURISH provided updates on some of its initiatives. Shavanna Spratt, member of the Community Leaders Cabinet, and Lora Gulley, Director of Community Mobilization and Advocacy at Generate Health, hosted a roundtable, “Disrupting Business as Usual,” where they explained how community members are leading their work to eliminate racial disparities in infant mortality in St. Louis by 2033. Shavanna and Lora shared some of the unique ways the Community Leaders Cabinet (CLC) has been addressing the issues impacting Black families this year:
- They focused on creating a strong foundation where members can make their voices heard. Each CLC member helped decide what priorities FLOURISH should address and the types of efforts that would best meet families’ needs and move the needle.
- The COVID-19 pandemic revealed new challenges for our impacted community, such as increased stress, safety concerns for members, families and friends who are essential workers, and challenges obtaining basic needs items such as food, diapers, money for rent, and cleaning supplies. FLOURISH pivoted to a virtual environment to stay safe while continuing to move this important work forward.
- To address these critical gaps, FLOURISH instituted the COVID-19 Response Fund, which allocated nearly $280,000 to community organizations and neighborhood groups to fill gaps for families during this difficult time. The Community Leaders Cabinet also led efforts to create essential care packages for pregnant and new moms during this time.
Aja Welch, coordinator of strategic initiatives at Generate Health, hosted a roundtable to share insights from the Home Visiting Collaborative. Home visiting programs often face challenges in expanding home visiting services to families in impacted zip codes. To solve this problem, FLOURISH formed a collaborative network of providers, funders and other stakeholders to align the region’s home visiting services. FLOURISH also convened a Consumer Advisory Board made up of parents who could share their experiences with home visiting, as well as serve as ambassadors for the programs in their own neighborhoods. Through leadership trainings, focus groups and virtual community cafes, these groups are working to improve Black families’ access to home visitation programs.
Other topics covered during the conference included tips for using telehealth to support Black moms and how area nonprofits have been responding to increased demands for essential items such as food and diapers during the pandemic. Alina Salganicoff, senior vice president and director of Women’s Health Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation spoke about what Missouri can expect from Medicaid expansion. Now, nearly all women will have access to prenatal and postpartum coverage, but it will still be critical to invest in other support services to ensure Black moms are getting comprehensive care.
One of these solutions is doula care. Missouri’s first Black certified midwife and the founder of Jamaa Birth Village, Brittany “Tru” Kellman, spoke on the important role doulas can play in advocating for Black mothers in the delivery room. Jamaa is a FLOURISH grant recipient, and we continue to look for ways to support doula services for Black moms.
FLOURISH is excited about the momentum we’re seeing for Missouri’s Black moms and babies. Watch the full conference here: https://simplystrategy.secure-platform.com/a/gallery?roundId=3
