COLUMBUS, Ohio —In a fluorescent-lit church basement on the north side of Columbus, a room full of strangers has one thing in common.
Their lives are about to change drastically.
- The number of deaths among babies of color is on the rise
- The Department of Medicare announced a $4.5 million grant to combat the infant mortality problem in Columbus
- That money will be split up among a dozen groups aimed to equip mothers and babies with the tools for success
These families are enrolled in the Moms2B program —a non-profit founded two years ago with the goal of driving down infant mortality.
“Columbus has made incredible progress. We’re the only county in Ohio - the only large county that we’ve seen African American infant mortality decrease,” said Dr. Patricia Gabbe, Moms2B.
Dr. Patricia Gabbe says here, expectant mothers and fathers get free meals, childbirth prep, lactation consulting, and forge bonds that will last beyond the delivery room.
This week, Moms2B got an unexpected delivery —$700,000 in grant funding.
“Without that money, we can’t keep our eight sites thriving, and bringing in all our pregnant moms, helping them have healthy, full-term babies, and keeping that baby thriving through that first year of life,” said Gabbe.
Moms2B is one of a dozen programs in Franklin County getting a piece of this $4.5 million grant.
It’s funded through the Department of Medicare as part of a two-year commitment to tackle high infant mortality among black families.
It’s a problem that’s drawing attention from the Statehouse as well.
On Thursday, Christin Farmer, with the group Birthing Beautiful Communities, came from Cuyahoga County to implore lawmakers to find other supports for new and expecting mothers of color.
That includes physical care, as well as mental health care and trauma care.
“The stereotype that we see a lot with our own community is that African American women have to be the strong woman, the resilient woman, the one that takes care of everyone, and sometimes that means neglecting taking care of yourself,” said Farmer.
Due to a long history of discrimination, she says black mothers are overlooked and underserved, no matter their socio economic status.
“The rates really have a lot to do with the stress and the trauma that African American women are experiencing,” said Farmer.
She hopes to shine on a light on this issue - so mothers and their babies throughout the state have a brighter future.
One of the suggestions to drive down infant mortality is to open statewide birthing centers.
As it stands now, the only place to deliver a child with medical supervision in the state of Ohio is at a hospital, which can be a cost deterrent for some new mothers.
