Connecticut Health Foundation launches advisory committee for statewide blueprint on maternal health equity

The Connecticut Health Foundation has convened an advisory committee to help inform the creation of a blueprint for maternal health equity in Connecticut, focused on Black patients.

The advisory committee includes those with lived experience, decision-makers, and those working in the field. The foundation added maternal health equity as a focus area in 2024, in recognition of the deep inequities in maternal health outcomes and significant momentum to make change that already exists in the state. The advisory committee and blueprint are intended to bring together those already working on maternal health equity issues and develop recommendations for a path forward for organizations and agencies across the state. This work is facilitated by the Yale Global Health Leadership Initiative (GHLI) and the Yale Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC).

Black people in Connecticut experience inequities in maternal health outcomes. They face higher rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity than other racial groups, mirroring national trends in which Black women are at highest risk. Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. These disparities are rooted in structural racism and lead to variations in quality of care and overall maternal health experiences throughout the entire journey to parenthood.

The advisory committee will provide guidance and expertise to ensure the blueprint reflects the needs of the maternal health landscape in Connecticut. Members’ insights, personal experience, and feedback will guide the development of the blueprint. The blueprint is expected to be completed in 2025 and is intended to serve as a roadmap to guide equitable policies in Connecticut.

“Our hope is that the diverse voices and experiences involved in creating a maternal health blueprint will help to paint a comprehensive picture of what is needed to achieve more equitable outcomes,” said Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. “Our vision is for Connecticut to be a state where all pregnant people of color have the opportunity to have a healthy pregnancy, birth, and start to parenthood, and we are thrilled to work with this dynamic and knowledgeable advisory committee to understand what is needed to make this vision a reality.”

“The launch of this advisory committee and the development of a statewide blueprint for maternal health equity come at a crucial time for Connecticut,” said Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, associate dean of Health Equity Research and director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at Yale School of Medicine as well as the Advisory Committee chair. “By bringing together a diverse group of experts and individuals with lived experiences, we aim to develop comprehensive strategies that ensure all birthing people have the opportunity for a healthy pregnancy, birth, and start to parenthood, with the elimination of associated preventable mortality and morbidity. By prioritizing inclusive and effective strategies, we acknowledge and actively combat the role of racism in health outcomes. This blueprint will not only highlight the existing challenges but also pave the way for sustainable and equitable solutions.”

The advisory committee will meet approximately monthly into 2025 to guide the development of the blueprint. Additional stakeholder engagement forums will foster broader awareness of and feedback on the blueprint as it takes shape. The blueprint development process, including synthesis of evidence, facilitation of meetings, and creation of the blueprint itself, will be facilitated by Yale ERIC and GHLI.

“Persistent inequities in maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women, are both unacceptable – and fixable. I am grateful for the advisory committee’s charge to identify and address root causes of maternal health disparities. By working together, our state can serve as an exemplar of how to translate knowledge into systems-level change, to improve the health of all mothers and babies,” said Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, dean of Yale School of Public Health.

“Designing this blueprint is an essential step forward to reduce the instances of low birth weight and perinatal mortality affecting Black and Hispanic women in our state and throughout the nation,” said Nancy J. Brown, MD, dean of Yale School of Medicine. “We need a rigorous process to look at all the contributing factors in order to create real-world solutions to reduce this serious burden.”

The advisory committee members are:

Althea Marshall Brooks, executive director, Waterbury Bridge to Success Partnership, Inc.
SciHonor Devotion, founding director, Earth’s Natural Touch: Birth Care & Beyond
Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO, Connecticut Health Foundation (ex officio)
Tabassum Firoz, obstetric and internal medicine physician, Yale New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital
Deidre Gifford, commissioner, Office of Health Strategy
Djana Harp, chief medical officer, obstetrics, & gynecology, Norwalk Community Health Center
Tamika Julien, director of the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program and senior lecturer in nursing at the Yale School of Nursing
Manisha Juthani, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health
Iyanna Liles, obstetrics & gynecology physician, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Lisa Morrissey, deputy commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health
Marcella Nunez-Smith, director, Yale Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at the Yale School of Medicine, Advisory Committee Chair
Natasha Ray, director, New Haven Healthy Start
Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Social Services
Lutonya Russell-Humes, vice president, grants & programs, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Mark Schaefer, vice president, system innovation and financing, Connecticut Hospital Association
Milagrosa (Millie) Seguinot, executive director, Community Health Workers Association of Connecticut

For more information, please contact Gaby Molina at gaby@cthealth.org or 860-724-1580 x 133