Public health experts, community and hospital partners, program administrators and elected officials from the State and County convened with residents to share updates on birth equity and maternal health. The fourth Town Hall on this topic took place at the Westchester County Center and included several speakers, personal testimonials from mothers, vendors providing relevant information and resources and a Q & A session.
A County collaboration of the Board of Legislators Sub-Committee on Health, the Westchester County Department of Health, the Office for Women, the Women’s Advisory Board and Sister to Sister, International, Inc.(STSI), the program’s objectives included:
- sharing best practices from hospitals and community partnerships on birth equity and maternal health improvements
- understanding how to center the needs of birthing women and people while building a coalition in Westchester County to improve birth outcomes and achieve equity
- understanding data collection, evaluation, and hospital and community needs from the County, State and Federal government
New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women, remain unacceptable. The State Legislature has taken significant steps to address these disparities, including securing $7 million in Maternal Health Grants in this year’s state budget, expanding access to prenatal and postpartum care, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for essential pregnancy-related services and creating the nation’s first paid prenatal leave. I commend Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, County Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, STSI and their community partners for hosting this important Birth Equity Town Hall. Together, we are strengthening the maternal care system to ensure that Westchester and New York State provide safe, equitable and respectful care.”
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “As a husband, father and most recently a grandfather, the prioritization of maternal health and safe outcomes for babies cannot be high enough. As County Executive, it is my utmost responsibility to make this a priority for all residents in Westchester, particularly for those who have historically suffered from inequity and disparities in the birthing experience. Together with Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, our dedicated County departments and our invaluable community partners, we are succeeding in pushing the needle forward on birth equity. I am proud that Westchester is in the forefront of this effort and can be viewed as a model for other communities throughout New York and the entire country.”
Westchester County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said: “The Westchester County Health Department has stood shoulder to shoulder with birth equity advocates and our community partners, and we will continue to be your steadfast ally in this movement. By shining a light on these inequities and uplifting the work of our partners who are driving change, we move closer to a future where every Westchester family has access to safe, respectful and high-quality care.”
Westchester County Office for Women Director Robi Schlaff said: “The Office for Women is proud to be a part of the Westchester County birth equity initiative to improve black maternal outcomes. With attention to and knowledge of this issue, inequities in maternal/fetal health are being daylighted, understood and remedied. The need to make improvements in services with empathy and compassion during pregnancy for women of color in the County is very real.”
Westchester County Board of Legislators Sub-Committee on Health Chair Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson said: “Town Hall IV showed what’s possible when Westchester acts as one. My deepest thanks to all of our hospitals, providers, doulas and community health programs for bringing data, best practices and heart. A special thank you to the new moms who bravely shared their experiences — your voices are the compass for this work. I’m grateful for all of my County government and organization partners whose steadfast collaboration keeps us focused on dignity, safety and respectful care for every birthing woman and person. With total buy-in across the County, we’re not just acknowledging the problem—we’re solving it together, one standard, one partnership and one healthy family at a time.”
Sister to Sister, International, Inc. Founder and CEO Dr. Cheryl Brannan said: “Our Birth Equity Town Hall IV was a resounding success! Together, we centered birthing individuals, shared strategies to navigate the social determinants of health, and spotlighted TeamBirth at St. John’s Riverside Hospital as a benchmark for advancing birth equity. We also shared resources offered by STSI’s Westchester Black Maternal & Child Center of Excellence. We are pleased to have partnered with Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, County Executive Ken Jenkins, NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins and all of our governmental and community partners for this endeavor.”
Ariadne Labs Clinical Implementation Specialist for the Delivery Decisions Initiative Abagael Slattery-Kumar, DNP, MPH, MSN, RN said: “I am honored to share the impact TeamBirth is having at St. John’s Riverside Hospital, especially improving autonomy and dignity for Black women. It was designed by Ariadne Labs to foster better communication between the clinical team and the person giving birth around best practices in communication, teamwork and clinical care. And it works — in just a couple of months since launching TeamBirth, we have not only seen improvement in experience for all women giving birth, but a reduction in disparities.”
