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Innovations for Maternal Health Outcomes in Minnesota (I-MOM) |
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View this as a webpage
January 2025
Greetings from the Innovations in Maternal Outcomes in Minnesota (I-MOM) team! We are thrilled to welcome you to our January 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. As we kick off 2025, we want to thank all of you for your commitment to improving perinatal health. It has been a pleasure to work alongside you all and see the progress that has been made. 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 three 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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To provide an opportunity to engage and learn about each perinatal subcommittee (PSC) member, we are offering a spotlight in the newsletter for members to contribute. Camila Valenzuela-Panza is one of the members of the perinatal subcommittee and is an integral partner in this work.
Camila Valenzuela-Panza, IBCLC
Camila Valenzuela-Panza is an immigrant from Chile, with ancestral ties to the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina. She has two beautiful children, who she birthed vaginally, and without medication. She had a doula for both of her children’s births. She breastfed each of them for three years, which led her to pursue a career in lactation. She has also been a Ninde doula for almost six years. Valenzuela-Panza is passionate about supporting families in any way she can throughout the prenatal and postnatal time. She has consistently witnessed the difference it makes when you have support during labor, delivery, and the first few weeks of postpartum. She says it is a privilege to support families during such a sacred time in their lives and she is grateful every day to have found work that she is passionate about.
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Perinatal subcommittee updates
The perinatal subcommittee sent out the draft strategic plan for community feedback in October. The survey closed at the end of 2024. In the coming months, more feedback on the strategic plan will be collected through community listening sessions. A high-level summary of this feedback will be posted on the subcommittee webpage.
Data updates
These past few months, the data team has remained busy providing ongoing data support and preparing the public facing perinatal health data dashboard on track to release the first phase in 2025. |
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AIM program updates
The MN Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MNPQC) and the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health initiative focused on improving care for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorders has concluded. MNPQC has begun their new Linking Identification and Navigation for Perinatal Mental Health & Substance Use Care Initiative, which is open for statewide enrollment for Minnesota hospital teams. This initiative focuses on addressing the complex challenges faced by pregnant and postpartum individuals dealing with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Through the integration of evidence-based AIM bundles, the initiative seeks to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes by increasing identification and referrals for mental health and substance use care.
This ongoing initiative allows hospital teams to engage in collaborative learning, receive quality improvement support, and contribute to advancing equitable care practices statewide. Hospital teams are welcome to join anytime. Visit the MNPQC webpage and select Initiative for more information or to register your facility.
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Podcast
MCH Bridges is the official podcast of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. This podcast aims to inspire and guide actions that will improve the systems that impact maternal and child health populations. MCH Bridges lifts up stories and people from the MCH field by centering the voices of the public health workforce, people and communities most impacted by inequities, and individuals and families with lived experiences.
Reports
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Black Maternal Health Research Reimagined: Principles for Conducting Research in Maternity Care for Black Mamas: This paper, written by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) multidisciplinary Research Working Group, presents principles for conducting research on maternal health outcomes for Black Mamas grounded in the Holistic Care principles outlined in BMMA’s Black Paper and calls for a reimagining of research that can be conducted with, for and by Black Mamas.
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Maternal Mortality Review Committees: Sharing Power with Communities: This report summarizes the findings of an environmental scan conducted by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. The scan aims to understand the challenges and opportunities for improvement that community members experienced while engaging or attempting to engage with Maternal Mortality Review Committees.
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Maternal Health Awareness Day - Jan. 23, 2025
Year after year, government data has shown that the maternal mortality rate in the United States remains unacceptably high, with Black and American Indian or Alaska Native pregnant and postpartum people disproportionately experiencing health inequities. The vast majority—roughly 80%—of maternal deaths are considered preventable, and nearly half of maternal deaths occur between seven and 365 days postpartum, not during delivery itself. But all of the resounding data about maternal deaths cannot capture the true scope and scale of those losses: the anguish felt by families who lose loved ones, the trauma endured by those with severe maternal complications, the tragedy of those unable to access needed abortion care, the emotional and financial cost of those recovering from severe maternal morbidity, the communities that are living with increasingly depleted health care resources, and the clinicians whose ethical obligations to their patients are compromised daily. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be posting messages related to maternal health on its social media accounts to raise awareness of this important day. Share the posts and help spread to word to organizations to increase awareness.
Birth Defects Awareness Month – January 2025
This month, MDH is joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and national partners in celebrating Birth Defects Awareness Month with the theme “Every Journey Matters.” Help raise awareness, share resources, and honor each family's unique journey.
Visit the CDC’s Birth Defects Awareness Month webpage for more information.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Pregnancy Meeting
Jan. 27-Feb. 1, 2025
Denver, CO
The Pregnancy Meeting features' postgraduate courses and worships, luncheon roundtables, scientific forums, oral and poster presentations, industry learning, exhibits, and more. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest research and advancements in obstetrics and an invaluable opportunity to learn from leaders in the field while making new connections.
Maternal Mortality Review Committee: Positions posted
Individuals interested in serving on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee can apply on the Secretary of State’s Boards & Commissions website. A resume (or CV) is required, and a cover letter is strongly encouraged. People who are African American and/or Native American are strongly encouraged to apply to represent communities most impacted by health disparities in our state. Questions can be directed to Rachael McGraw at Rachael.McGraw@state.mn.us.
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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, visit the HRSA website.
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