Black Maternal Health Toolkit
The African American Mayors Association has announced the creation of a comprehensive Black Maternal Health toolkit at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2023 Meeting, designed for member mayors throughout the country. The toolkit outlines the structural and social determinants of Black maternal health and equips member mayors with the data, resources, and information to improve maternal health outcomes in their respective cities.
The toolkit, now part of AAMA’s Commitment to Action, selected based on the proposed commitment and personal connection to the problem it is addressing, was announced by Mayor Shawyn Paterson-Howard during today’s panel session, “The Fourth Trimester: How to Provide Postpartum Support and Reduce Post-Birth Mortality,” with panelist Shahed Alem, CEO of Noora Health, and moderated by Dr. Chelsea Clinton.
According to the toolkit, Black maternal health disparities are vast and in need of targeted solutions by city health departments. Black mothers are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. They are also more likely to experience preventable maternal death, and infants born to Black women are more than twice as likely to die as compared to white women.
The Black Maternal Health toolkit was the outgrowth of a conversation between AAMA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address the need for mayors and AAMA business council members to have a content rich blueprint to address disparities and maternal health outcomes in member cities and seek necessary funding and resources. It is part of a partnership with AAMA business council members Village MD and the Environmental Defense Fund. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will assist with the production of a Black maternal health podcast that will amplify the messaging.
“AAMA is honored to share this Black maternal health toolkit with its member mayors and business council members,” said AAMA President and Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard. “It lays out Black maternal health challenges succinctly, shows our mayors how to lead by example, and provides funding options for direct to city and federal to state resources to address this crisis.”
In addition to Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, seven other AAMA members convened at the CGI Meeting to participate in high-level discussions around major issues including Black maternal health, greenhouse gas emissions and public health. While the topics presented cover global issues, CGI recognizes the importance of local mayors in the approach to a solution. Mayors across the country are leaders who best understand the impact these issues have on their communities.