Black Maternal Health

How is Chicago supporting the health of Black women and their babies?During Black Maternal Health Week, Commissioner Olusimbo Ige is joined in conversation by Monica Mitchell of CDPH and Hailey Steele from EverThrive Illinois to discuss the disparities Black women and their babies experience during pregnancy and postpartum, and the resources available to pregnant people in the city.EverThrive is a reproductive justice nonprofit organization with the goal of elevating the voice of those most impacted by health injustices. Steele talks about the findings her organization made through focus groups on the South and West sides of Chicago and the need for education and advocacy tools to help pregnant individuals and their children in disinvested communities.CDPH employs programs such as Family Connects Chicago (no-cost postpartum home checkups), WIC (nutrition, lactation support), and MAR (medication-assisted recovery for those experiencing substance use disorders).