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Innovations for Maternal Health Outcomes in Minnesota (I-MOM) |
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 October 2024
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View this as a webpage
Greetings from the Innovations in Maternal Outcomes in Minnesota (I-MOM) team! We are thrilled to welcome you to our October newsletter. Whether you're joining us for the first time or have been with us for a while, we're delighted to have you onboard. In this edition, we will be sharing program updates, resources and reports, upcoming engagement opportunities, and information about perinatal health.
I-MOM background/purpose
The I-MOM (Innovations for Maternal Health Outcomes in Minnesota) program is a 5-year grant, funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The vision of I-MOM is to align and strengthen the implementation of innovative, data-driven, community-informed and supported perinatal health programs to improve outcomes for communities experiencing the highest rates of disparities (Black, American Indian, other populations of color, new immigrants, refugees, and rural).
The program has 3 main goals: 1) Build a shared vision for perinatal health, 2) Improve data access and expand surveillance, and 3) Improve the collection, reporting and analysis of AIM data.
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In March, a request for proposals was released focusing on perinatal health innovations. This request was centered on improving perinatal health for communities of color and American Indian communities through innovative activities in community engagement and communications. Five grantees were selected: Kiwi Cares, Olmsted County Public Health, Roots Community Birth Center/Project Motherpath, South Country Health Alliance, and Universal Medical Services dba Axis Medical Center. In future editions, we will spotlight each grantee.
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To provide an opportunity to engage and learn about each perinatal sub-committee (PSC) member, we are offering a spotlight in the newsletter for members to contribute. Rachel Gilbertson is one of the members of the perinatal sub-committee, an integral partner in this work.
Rachel Gilbertson
Regional Child & Family Wellbeing Program Manager - Carlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis Community Health Board
Rachel’s primary role is to support the regional team of public health nurses in implementing the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting model. Rachel also serves as the co-chair of the Minnesota Coalition for Family Home Visiting and is the chair-elect for the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Task Force. Rachel earned her undergraduate degree in community health education and went on to complete a master of education and a graduate minor in integrative therapies and healing practices. She is a national board-certified health and wellness coach, a certified intrinsic coach, an A.C.E certified personal trainer, and a mindfulness facilitator.
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Perinatal sub-committee updates
The perinatal sub-committee (PSC) drafted the strategic plan recommendations and a plan for community feedback before going to the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Task Force for approval. Feedback will be gathered through multiple methods including a survey, PSC-led conversations with their networks, and through community listening sessions.
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Data updates
In August 2024, the I-MOM data team presented state substance use disorder data at a national Maternal Health Innovation conference. This presentation prompted discussions about available trainings related to stigma and maternal addiction treatment as well as learning how other states are also using substance use data. This opportunity initiated further connections with a state seeking guidance for their own upcoming data analysis around substance use disorders and created a new connection with a neighboring state with future program-wide collaborative opportunities.
 The data team continues to work on a critical data linkage for more thorough and informative maternal health data that will enhance upcoming I-MOM program activities, especially the public-facing perinatal health dashboard expected for release 2025.
AIM program updates
In October, the Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative’s first cohort of hospital teams are completing the maintenance period to sustain the initial quality improvement project of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health bundle focused on the care for pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorder. The Collaborative has maintained ongoing technical assistance by offering interactive team opportunities with twelve hospital teams from six health systems throughout the state.
Insights gained from collaborative-led initiatives demonstrated the need for smaller and more focused quality improvement efforts. As a next step, the Collaborative will lead two community of learnings to offer interested hospital teams the opportunity to expand practices on:
- Nonpharmacologic methods (primarily eat, sleep, and console) for infants exposed to opioids in utero
- Plans of safe care for families affected by substance use disorder
- An upcoming comprehensive 12-month initiative called LINK (Linking Identification and Navigation for Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Care) which seeks to address challenges of perinatal mental health and substance use disorders using AIM bundle strategies
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Reading list
“From the Deep Woods to Civilization” by Charles Eastman (Santee Sioux)
Having grown up in the Sioux culture and later living in mainstream culture, Dr. Eastman conveys first-hand experience of the good and bad from both cultures and brings a Native viewpoint to American history. A Dartmouth graduate and trained physician, Eastman’s first medical job coincided with the Ghost Dances that culminated in the Wounded Knee Massacre – he was the only doctor on hand to assist the victims. Afterward, he devoted the rest of his life to helping Indians adapt to the white world while retaining the best of their culture.
“Vanishing Maps” by Cristina García
From the acclaimed author of Dreaming in Cuban, a follow-up novel tracks four generations of the del Pino family against the tumultuous backdrops of Cuba, the U.S., Germany, and Russia in the new millennium.
“What God is Honored Here” edited by Shannon Gibney and Kao Kalia Yang
Native women and women of color poignantly share their pain, revelations, and hope after experiencing the traumas of miscarriage and infant loss.
Documentaries
Saving Moms PBS Report
PBS reporter Bonnie Boswell’s latest conversation with leading experts examines why groups of women disproportionately experience higher mortality rates related to pregnancy and childbirth in the country. Boswell addresses disparities and contributing factors that result in poor health outcomes for mothers and babies as well as ways local public health professionals are combatting the national crisis.
Voices of Impact: Jamie’s Story
Like Jamie, nearly 50,000 U.S. women experience unintended, potentially life-threatening maternal conditions or complications each year. In addition to the women who nearly lose their lives, another 700 U.S. women die each year because of pregnancy or delivery complications. Obstetric hemorrhage is the most common serious complication of childbirth and the most preventable cause of maternal mortality.
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Conferences/trainings
2024 Joint Perinatal Improvement Summit
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22 - 23
Register
The 2024 Joint Perinatal Improvement Summit is hosted by the Minnesota Hospital Association, the Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MNPQC), and Hennepin Healthcare. It provides an “All Teach, All Learn” opportunity for education, resources and expertise sharing with a space to make connections across disciplines, hospitals, and statewide geography to improve perinatal health outcomes and experiences for Minnesota families.
Midwest Fetal Symposium – Nurturing New Beginnings
Date: Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m.– 5:30 p.m.
Register
The Midwest Fetal Symposium is a day of learning and connecting to celebrate the start of new beginnings in fetal care! Explore the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of fetal patients with complex conditions and learn from leading experts in the field to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in fetal care.
Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Week in Minnesota
Mark your calendar and help us get the word out! Nov. 17-23 is Infant Safe Sleep Week in Minnesota. This week provides opportunities for parents and communities to promote the awareness of safe sleep practices to ensure the safety of infants when they sleep or nap. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be posting messages related to infant sleep safety on its social media platforms throughout the week of Nov. 17-23. Please share with organizations and people in your network to increase awareness!
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ERASE MM Award
MDH has been awarded five years of funding from the CDC’s Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) program to address maternal mortality in Minnesota. The ERASE MM program directly supports agencies and organizations that coordinate and manage Maternal Mortality Review Committees to identify, review, and characterize pregnancy-related deaths; and identify prevention opportunities. This work provides a deeper insight into the drivers of maternal mortality and pregnancy complications, as well as associated disparities; suggests what interventions at patient, provider, facility, system, and community levels are likely to be most effective; and guides implementation of these interventions in communities where the need is greatest. In Minnesota, this funding will support continuous maternal mortality review work, creating internal and external support of the maternal mortality review committee and its members, and expansion on recommendations from the committee into action.
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a 5-year grant cycle expected with a total of $5,000,000. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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