Maternal & Infant Health
Article

Commission on Infant Mortality and Department of Children and Youth meet to discuss maternal and infant health

Kyle Thompson
Policy Associate
Additional Contributors
No items found.
May 6, 2024
Read time:
Download Fact Sheets
Register now
Share this resource
Subscribe to our Newsletter
By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Download this as a PDF

On March 23, 2024, the Commission on Infant Mortality heard from the Department of Children and Youth (DCY) on early care and education, maternal and infant vitality, and key strategies that can deliver solutions to issues impacting mothers and their children.

The meeting featured Alicia Leatherman, Chief of the Bureau of Maternal and Infant Vitality at DCY. The Commission is comprised of other stakeholders working to champion maternal and infant health on a state level, with emphasis on solutions that can reduce disparities that adversely impact them (i.e., maternal mortality/infant mortality). Below are several highlights  that were brought up during the meeting:

Infant and Toddler Infrastructure to receive $15 million annually

  • H.B. 33 (the 2024-25 state budget bill) appropriated $15 million per year to go toward childcare toddler and infant infrastructure grants
    • The total applications for these grants were 2,941, which came from 1,554 Centers and 1,387 Family Childcare Locations.
    • Counties Included Butler, Franklin, Lorain, Lucas, Franklin, Mahoning, Stark, Cuyahoga, Montgomery, and Summit County. Notifications were made at the end of January, with another round planned in SFY 2025.

Strategies for reducing infant mortality

  • Parent and Youth Ambassadors (PYAS) help families needing assistance.
  • A DCY Call Center will be introduced with staff available to answer questions in real time for families, youth, and parents.
  • Home visiting services will help provide support to new families to help them achieve goals for child development and their families.
  • Infant and Maternal Vitality Family Connects
    • A new program will start this summer in 11 counties, where every new mother will be eligible to receive a visit from a nurse 3 weeks after delivery.
    • Nurses will guide families for community/clinical support to assist new mothers and ensure babies live to see their first birthday.
    • Wave 1 counties are Erie, Huron, Trumbull, Mahoning, Guernsey, Noble, Greene, Fayette, Shelby, Darke, and Hamilton.

What is the Department of Children and Youth doing to prevent maternal mortality?

The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) works to reduce maternal deaths and significant maternal morbidity in the United States. There are AIM patient safety bundles, which work to apply interventions to specific health needs impacting a mother. This is done by using a structured process of treatment to improve patient outcomes and care needs. There are primary bundles which are central to the program efforts of AIM’s program to address major causes of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States. AIM patient safety bundles fall under the quality improvement component of work that the Department of Children and Youth is doing to prevent maternal mortality. This work is part of other initiatives being led by DCY in Ohio. Below is further information DCY is doing to support health in Ohio.

AIM patient safety bundles fall under the quality improvement component of work that the Department of Children and Youth is doing to prevent maternal mortality.

Four Ohio initiatives that support wellbeing, programs, and training

  • Ohio Council to Advance Maternal Health
    • Ohio’s Statewide Maternal Heath Task Force
  • Quality Improvement
    •  Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful,Equitable (CARE) Project
    • AIM Patient Safety Bundles
      • Hemorrhage
      • Substance Use
      • Hypertension
      • Sepsis
    •  Health Mom, Healthy Family Interconnection Care
    • Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
  • Workforce Development
    •  Obstetric emergencies virtual simulation training
    • Telehealth trainings for women’s health providers
    • Implicit bias trainings
  • Program Implementation:
    • Disparities in maternal health community grant program
    • Medical-legal partnerships
    • Group prenatal care initiatives grant

Be sure to subscribe to 5 Things to keep up to date on Community Solution’s work following maternal health and advocating for the wellbeing of birthing parents and children in Ohio. As Community Solutions continues to monitor efforts by DCY, we will also cover topics impacting maternal and infant health.

Download Fact Sheets

Lake County

Download

Geauga County

Download

Cuyahoga County

Download

All Municipalities Geauga County

Download

All Municipalities Lake County

Download

All Municipalities Cuyahoga County

Download

Thompson

Download

South Russell

Download

Russell

Download

Parkman

Download

Newbury

Download

Munson

Download

Montville

Download

Middlefield Township

Download

Middlefield Village

Download

Huntsburg

Download

Hambden

Download

Claridon

Download

Chester

Download

Chardon Township

Download

Chardon City

Download

Burton

Download

Bainbridge

Download

Auburn

Download

Willowick

Download

Willoughby Hills

Download

Willoughby

Download

Wickliffe

Download

Waite Hill

Download

Timberlake

Download

Painesville City

Download

Mentor-on-the-Lake

Download

Mentor

Download

Madison

Download

Lakeline

Download

Kirtland Hills

Download

Kirtland

Download

Eastlake

Download

Concord

Download

Highland Heights 2018

Download

Garfield Heights 2018

Download

Fairview Park 2018

Download

Euclid 2018

Download

East Cleveland 2018

Download

Cleveland 2018

Download

Cleveland Heights 2018

Download

Cities in Cuyahoga County Combined 2018

Download

Brooklyn 2018

Download

Brook Park 2018

Download

Broadview Heights 2018

Download

Brecksville 2018

Download

Berea 2018

Download

Bedford 2018

Download

Bedford Heights 2018

Download

Beachwood 2018

Download

Bay Village 2018

Download

Westlake 2018

Download

Warrensville Heights 2018

Download

University Heights 2018

Download

Strongsville 2018

Download

South Euclid 2018

Download

Solon 2018

Download

Shaker Heights 2018

Download

Seven Hills 2018

Download

Rocky River 2018

Download

Richmond Heights 2018

Download

Pepper Pike 2018

Download

Parma 2018

Download

Parma Heights 2018

Download

Olmsted Falls 2018

Download

North Royalton 2018

Download

North Olmsted 2018

Download

Middleburg Heights 2018

Download

Mayfield Heights 2018

Download

Maple Heights 2018

Download

Lyndhurst 2018

Download

Lakewood 2018

Download

Independence 2018

Download

Woodmere

Download

Westlake

Download

Warrensville Heights

Download

Walton Hills

Download

Valley View

Download

University Heights

Download

Strongsville

Download

South Euclid

Download

Shaker Heights

Download

Seven Hills

Download

Rocky River

Download

Richmond Heights

Download

Pepper Pike

Download

Parma Heights

Download

Orange

Download

Olmsted Falls

Download

Olmsted

Download
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Download report

Subscribe to our newsletter

5 Things you need to know arrives on Mondays with the latest articles, events, and advocacy developments in Ohio

Explore the fact sheets

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

No Related Fact Sheets

Explore Topics

Browse articles, research, and testimony.

Poverty & Safety Net
Article

Barriers and Access to Resources in the Union-Miles Neighborhood 

Tamikka James-Haygood
November 24, 2024
Poverty & Safety Net
Article

ARPA 3 Years later: Lessons learned in Ohio

Dylan Armstrong
November 18, 2024
Poverty & Safety Net
Article

New Human Services Chamber launching in December

Emily Campbell
November 17, 2024
Poverty & Safety Net
Article

U.S. Census to halt publication of state-level hardship data

John R. Corlett
November 11, 2024