NEWS & EVENTS
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Improving Maternal Health: Allies Sharing Promising Strategies

Virtual (webinar)
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Description

During this session of the Health Equity Research Outreach (HERO) Quarterly Lecture Series, participants will hear about efforts by the Communities Improving Maternal Health Alliance (the Alliance). Since its launch two years ago, the Alliance has worked to improve maternal health outcomes by decreasing health disparities in 17 U.S. States (AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, KS, KY, LA, MS, MO, NB, NM, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX), and 83 federally recognized tribes. The Alliance does this by sharing promising practices and strategies its members report are effective, and by highlighting ways some have overcome common barriers. The Alliance shares these promising practices with other groups that have similar goals. It focuses primarily on reducing health disparities and improving maternal health outcomes for people facing severe health disparities, including African Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders, and for people living in rural areas.

This session will include a brief presentation by Ella Ewart-Pierce, M.A., M.P.H., regional minority health analyst, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, OASH, Region 6, Dallas, Texas. A panel discussion will follow and be moderated by Karen Plevock-Haase, Ph.D., a program official in the Implementation Science Branch of the NHLBI’s Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science. The panel includes the following individuals:

  • LT Monica Angelique Geiger, D.N.P., R.N., Regional Women’s Health Analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Region 6 Dallas, Texas
  • William “Sam” Greenfield, M.D., M.B.A., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  • Ella Ewart-Pierce, M.A., M.P.H., regional minority health analyst, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, OASH, Region 6, Dallas, Texas
  • Zenobia Harris, D.N.P., M.P.H., director, Arkansas Birthing Project; director, Birthing Project USA
  • CAPT Mehran S. Massoudi, Ph.D., M.P.H., regional health administrator, OASH, Region 6, Dallas, Texas

Preregistration is not required. Use this link to watch the session: https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=52473


About the Communities Improving Maternal Health Alliance (the Alliance)  
The Alliance is a network of organizations that serve pregnant people in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regions (HHS) 4, 6 & 7. These organizations include state and local public health departments, federal agencies, and academic institutions, and include community-based organizations (CBOs) and other groups. The HHS Office of Regional Health Operations /Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA)/ Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, and the Arkansas Minority Health Commission began collaborating in 2021 to highlight existing promising practices that seem to improve maternal and birthing outcomes. In 2022, the HHS team, together with OASH’s leadership, launched the Alliance. The group has since grown to include 222 members who regularly share promising practices – one of the terms of membership. More than 1,000 additional partners participate in events and discussions.

About the HERO Series  
The HERO series highlights the work and voices of people involved in global and domestic health equity research. Through discussion and engagement, the series aims to foster collaborations to address pressing challenges and opportunities in this burgeoning area of scientific research. HERO series events are hosted by the NHLBI Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science (CTRIS).