St. John’s Riverside Hospital is hosting the premiere of The Voices That Care: Our Journey to TeamBirth documentary at The Riverfront Library on Wednesday, September 16 at 12 pm. The film was produced by St. John’s Riverside Hospital and highlights how the TeamBirth model is helping to address crisis-level disparities in black maternal health within our community and across the nation. TeamBirth is a clinical model that ensures every patient’s voice is heard and respected throughout labor and delivery.
In this impactful film, former patients, advocates from Sister-to-Sister International, Inc. (STSI), St. John’s Riverside Hospital leaders, and local government officials come together as the “voices that care” to communicate the importance of the TeamBirth initiative and how mothers, families, and communities benefit when patients are active partners in their care.
The TeamBirth program was identified by St. John’s leadership and STSI’s President & Founder Dr. Cheryl Brannan and Maternal Health Consultant Cheryl Hunter-Grant as a pathway to address disparities in the community, specifically related to black maternal health. With funding from Westchester County, St. John’s Riverside Hospital became the first hospital in New York State to participate in the maternity program, which was launched September 2025.
“Since implementing TeamBirth at St. John’s, we have seen positive markers across the board that prove that this care approach works and our patients are increasingly satisfied with their birthing experience. After just nine months, we saw a significant decrease in our c-sections rates for Black mothers, but also for all birthing people delivering at St. John’s”, said Herta Muller, Chief Nursing Officer of St. John’s Riverside Hospital.
TeamBirth was developed by Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Womenʼs Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The program calls for team huddles at key decision points throughout the hospital stay. Huddles happen on admission to the hospital, with any changes to the patient or child’s condition, when decisions are made surrounding delivery and anytime the patient or a team member requests a huddle.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “Westchester County is proud to partner with St. John’s Riverside Hospital in providing the first opportunity for expectant mothers to participate in the TeamBirth Maternity Program in Westchester. The Voices that Care documentary details the road that was traveled to implement this critical program, that is making an impact in addressing disparities that exist in black maternal care. Since the initiation of TeamBirth, we have already seen improved outcomes and received positive feedback from patients, which shows these birthing methods are working. In Westchester County, we will continue to break down barriers to ensure that every mother receives the support and quality care she deserves.”
Expected attendees include Jenkins, Clinical Implementation Specialist Abagael Slattery-Kumar of Ariadne Labs, New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, President & Founder of Sister to Sister International Cheryl Brannan, and Founder & CEO of Woman To Woman OB/GYN Dr. . The film’s runtime is approximately 18 minutes. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP, but walk-ins are welcome.
