Birth Detroit celebrates one year of midwifery-led prenatal and postpartum care to Detroit families

And is selected to participate in The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI)'s new national midwifery learning collaborative, joining stakeholders across multiple levels of maternal health to identify ways to reduce maternal health disparities.

DETROIT - Oct. 7, 2021 - PRLog -- Birth Detroit celebrates one year of midwifery-led prenatal and postpartum care to Detroit families and is selected to participate in The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI)'s new national midwifery learning collaborative, joining stakeholders across multiple levels of maternal health to identify ways to reduce maternal health disparities.

Birth Detroit is excited to celebrate its one year anniversary during National Midwifery Week. Midwives play a key part in every community and Birth Detroit believes every person has a right to safe, quality, loving midwifery care.  Birth Detroit will affect change and help determine long-term solutions to integrating, implementing, and funding midwifery-led care in the state of Michigan through it's new collaboration with The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI).

Birth Detroit Care is a community-based maternal health practice, offering prenatal and postpartum care by midwives, as well as childbirth education and postpartum support. Within one year, Birth Detroit has served more than 120 clients for over 175 appointments and warm referrals. Twenty Birth Detroit babies have been born and many families have received prenatal and postpartum care delivered in the midwifery model, childbirth education, and supportive services that include transportation assistance and doula support. Because of high community demand and successful partnership with Brilliant Detroit, Birth Detroit Care is now considering expanding to offer prenatal and postpartum care in an east side location.

Birth Detroit applied to be a part of the IMI's national midwifery learning collaborative because of the legislative challenges Michigan presents around birth center licensure and reimbursement for community-based midwifery. We recognize that overcoming these barriers warrants full-time attention, and to that end, Birth Detroit hired a full-time Policy Director in July 2021. Birth Detroit is a justice response to systemic racism, evidence, and community. We have developed a Birth Justice and Policy Agenda and will continue to work in collaboration with our public health, health plan, provider and community partners until all birthing people have access to all safe birthing options: birth center, home, and hospital. As Birth Detroit Care exceeded its goal for the number of families served by 51%; we're confident of the impact Birth Detroit will have with increased funding and support from our partners.

When co-founder, clinical director and certified nurse midwife Char'ly Snow was  asked why she's so passionate about birth centers in her community; she replied "it's important for women of color to have health care options that are responsive to our health needs and culture. Culturally responsive care looks like having a care provider who listens to and respects you, who understands your culture, who empathizes with your life experiences. Birth Detroit Care clinics offer safe, quality, loving culturally responsive care." Birth Detroit continues to raise funds to open the Birth Detroit Birth Center in the next year.

About Birth Detroit

Birth Detroit Care is the only clinic of its kind in Detroit -- community-based midwifery services led by Black midwives. The clinic will celebrate its one year anniversary on October 10, 2021.

Birth Detroit was honored to be highlighted in March of Dimes CEO Stacey D. Stewart and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation CEO Richard E. Besser's July op-ed on CNN.com about racism and maternal mortality. Along with SisterSong and Elephant Circle, Birth Detroit's community-based birth center and clinic were named as promising solutions to ending America's maternal mortality crisis.

Birth Detroit efforts need financial support and more visibility to grow their impact. Those who are interested in joining Birth Detroit on the journey to ensuring more Detroit families have access to safe, quality, loving midwifery care, visit the Birth Detroit website https://www.birthdetroit.com.

Contact
Chauny Barnes-Sailor
***@birthdetroit.com
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)



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