YSPH-SBS 526 Seminar Series: Philly Joy Bank: Co-Designing and Co-Evaluating Guaranteed Income’s Role in Perinatal Health
Pregnant individuals in Philadelphia experience high levels of economic insecurity during and after pregnancy, which contributes to significant health inequities during this formative period of the life course. The Philly Joy Bank is a guaranteed income program in which expectant parents residing in three low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods receive unconditional cash payments during pregnancy and the first 12 months postpartum. In this presentation, we will describe the community-driven design, implementation, and evaluation of the Philly Joy Bank. We will conclude with a discussion of next steps for our program and its evaluation.
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Elizabeth Salerno Valdez Libby is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health & Prevention at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. Her research program fosters ethical and mutually beneficial academic-community partnerships using participatory, social justice-oriented approaches to examine and address the structural factors that influence health inequities among historically marginalized and racialized adolescents, emerging adults, and pregnant and parenting people. Central to her work is the use of community-led study findings to initiate local and state policy and systems change. Dr. Valdez is currently PI of the study “Needs and Barriers to Access of Medical Cannabis by Parenting Women by Race” and co-PI of the Philly Joy Bank Evaluation, a mixed methods study to understand whether and how receipt of guaranteed income during and after pregnancy impacts parental mental health and prematurity (as well as other intermediate outcomes).
Nia Coaxum Nia is a dedicated public health professional with a longstanding commitment to health equity. In her current role within the Division of Reproductive Adolescent, and Child Health of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, she serves as the Program Manager for the Philly Joy Bank- Philadelphia’s first guaranteed income pilot program for pregnant people. She is also a doula and the founder of Birth With Purpose Doula Services, where she supports families by centering their voices and right to bodily autonomy. She is passionate about improving birth experiences, eliminating racial health inequities, and restoring joy to the reproductive journey through education and advocacy.
She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Health, with a focus on Community Health, from West Chester University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health at George Washington University. She lso serves on the Pennsylvania Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee and the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Of all her roles, her favorite is being a mom to her 2 year old son
Ali Groves Ali is a social and behavioral scientist who uses mixed-methods research methods to examine whether and how social policies and programs can reduce structural marginalization and promote reproductive justice. Locally, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide individuals with a guaranteed basic income and/or reduces their risk of eviction) improves health outcomes, particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In Southern Africa, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide cash transfers or access to secondary education) prevents HIV acquisition, particularly for adolescent mothers. Across both contexts, her approach and methods are grounded in the belief that addressing inequities is best done in close collaboration with communities and individuals with lived experience
Elizabeth Salerno Valdez Libby is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health & Prevention at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. Her research program fosters ethical and mutually beneficial academic-community partnerships using participatory, social justice-oriented approaches to examine and address the structural factors that influence health inequities among historically marginalized and racialized adolescents, emerging adults, and pregnant and parenting people. Central to her work is the use of community-led study findings to initiate local and state policy and systems change. Dr. Valdez is currently PI of the study “Needs and Barriers to Access of Medical Cannabis by Parenting Women by Race” and co-PI of the Philly Joy Bank Evaluation, a mixed methods study to understand whether and how receipt of guaranteed income during and after pregnancy impacts parental mental health and prematurity (as well as other intermediate outcomes).
Nia Coaxum Nia is a dedicated public health professional with a longstanding commitment to health equity. In her current role within the Division of Reproductive Adolescent, and Child Health of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, she serves as the Program Manager for the Philly Joy Bank- Philadelphia’s first guaranteed income pilot program for pregnant people. She is also a doula and the founder of Birth With Purpose Doula Services, where she supports families by centering their voices and right to bodily autonomy. She is passionate about improving birth experiences, eliminating racial health inequities, and restoring joy to the reproductive journey through education and advocacy.
She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Health, with a focus on Community Health, from West Chester University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health at George Washington University. She lso serves on the Pennsylvania Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee and the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Of all her roles, her favorite is being a mom to her 2 year old son
Ali Groves Ali is a social and behavioral scientist who uses mixed-methods research methods to examine whether and how social policies and programs can reduce structural marginalization and promote reproductive justice. Locally, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide individuals with a guaranteed basic income and/or reduces their risk of eviction) improves health outcomes, particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In Southern Africa, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide cash transfers or access to secondary education) prevents HIV acquisition, particularly for adolescent mothers. Across both contexts, her approach and methods are grounded in the belief that addressing inequities is best done in close collaboration with communities and individuals with lived experience
Elizabeth Salerno Valdez Libby is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health & Prevention at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. Her research program fosters ethical and mutually beneficial academic-community partnerships using participatory, social justice-oriented approaches to examine and address the structural factors that influence health inequities among historically marginalized and racialized adolescents, emerging adults, and pregnant and parenting people. Central to her work is the use of community-led study findings to initiate local and state policy and systems change. Dr. Valdez is currently PI of the study “Needs and Barriers to Access of Medical Cannabis by Parenting Women by Race” and co-PI of the Philly Joy Bank Evaluation, a mixed methods study to understand whether and how receipt of guaranteed income during and after pregnancy impacts parental mental health and prematurity (as well as other intermediate outcomes).
Nia Coaxum Nia is a dedicated public health professional with a longstanding commitment to health equity. In her current role within the Division of Reproductive Adolescent, and Child Health of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, she serves as the Program Manager for the Philly Joy Bank- Philadelphia’s first guaranteed income pilot program for pregnant people. She is also a doula and the founder of Birth With Purpose Doula Services, where she supports families by centering their voices and right to bodily autonomy. She is passionate about improving birth experiences, eliminating racial health inequities, and restoring joy to the reproductive journey through education and advocacy.
She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Health, with a focus on Community Health, from West Chester University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health at George Washington University. She lso serves on the Pennsylvania Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee and the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Of all her roles, her favorite is being a mom to her 2 year old son
Ali Groves Ali is a social and behavioral scientist who uses mixed-methods research methods to examine whether and how social policies and programs can reduce structural marginalization and promote reproductive justice. Locally, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide individuals with a guaranteed basic income and/or reduces their risk of eviction) improves health outcomes, particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In Southern Africa, she examines whether and how access to social protection (via programs that provide cash transfers or access to secondary education) prevents HIV acquisition, particularly for adolescent mothers. Across both contexts, her approach and methods are grounded in the belief that addressing inequities is best done in close collaboration with communities and individuals with lived experience
Speakers
Drexel University
Dr. Elizabeth Salerno ValdezAssistant ProfessorPhilly Joy Bank - Philadelphia
Nia CoaxumProgram ManagerPhilly Joy Bank - Philadelphia
Ali Groves