We are so excited to see National Perinatal Task Force Perinatal Safe Spots getting the support needed to improve maternal child outcomes and expand the workforce. Merck Announced a second cohort of safer childbirth cities organizations committed to improving maternal health equity and reducing preventable maternal deaths in the US.  Perinatal Safe Spot Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) co-founded by Jessica Roach was among the organizations awarded as part of Merk’s first cohort.  

The recently announced Perinatal Safe Spots granted included:

  • Norfolk, VA: Urban Baby Beginnings and collaborators are reducing disparities for childbearing women of color by building data infrastructures for state and city officials, strengthening community-based support systems, connecting women to services provided by practitioners of color and raising women’s awareness of the importance of perinatal care.
  • St. Louis, MO: Jamaa Birth Village and Generate Health STL are increasing Black women’s access to culturally
    congruent holistic maternal health services by building a sustainable doula workforce and integrating doula care into existing health and hospital systems.
  • Washington, DC: Mamatoto Village and collaborators are strengthening maternal health care for Black women by developing an inclusive coalition of stakeholders and advocating for system and policy changes that expand comprehensive, accessible and high-quality perinatal support services and provide sustainable solutions to address homelessness and inequitable housing.