Thread by @bri_madden_

Hi, I’ll be live-tweeting today's meeting of the @IDPH Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans Task Force (IMMT) for #ChiDocumenters @ChiDocumenters.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1pm CST and can be viewed by the public at illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php…

(1/2) "The IDPH is one of the state's oldest agencies. It currently operates headquarters in Springfield and Chicago, seven regional offices located around the state, three laboratories and 1,100 employees."
-@CHIdocumenters

(2/2) "The stated mission of the IDPH is to protect the health and wellness of the people of Illinois through the prevention, health promotion, regulation, and the control of disease and injury."
-@CHIdocumenters

The meeting is called to order at 1:05pm.

After roll call, there are enough members present for a quorum. The Agenda is approved after a small edit (pictured below).

The IMMT was created in 2019, and must produce an annual report with findings and recommendations. All of its charges are listed below.

The minutes from the previous meeting are approved.

The subjects are raised of Illinois hospitals on the verge of closing, including Mercy Hospital, and instituting more birthing centers in Chicago. This article is brought up to the point of the latter. wbez.org/stories/women-…

Dr. Arden Handler presents on the UIC and IDPH/Title V partnership on a state maternal health innovation project, which includes federal grant money and requirements.

This project is "a call to action to address stark inequities in maternal outcomes."

Handler says the state is starting to open up to framing maternal care and early childhood care on a continuum.

The team is taking the "OB desert" very seriously, according to Handler and this slide.

Handler lists health education, diversity in medicine, housing inequity, and paid family leave as important factors in addressing health inequity in Illinois. She cites the intensity of the connection between poverty and health in Chicago as a root cause.

The next steps expected from Handler's team are pictured below.

The IMMT group discusses child care as a barrier to people accessing maternal care. Handler remembers seeing a sign in a Chicago prenatal care center that said "no strollers," and feeling bewildered by the restriction.

Dara Gray Basley stresses implementing trauma-informed care in maternal medicine, especially when thinking about continuity between different locations for care: "Women should not have to tell their story multiple times in 5 different places."

Angela Ellison agrees and doubles down on the idea of being specific around the needs of African American families, and including communities in these discussions.

The subcommittees report out to the group. A common theme is addressing community input on barriers to seeking maternal care.

There are no public comments.

The group discusses next points of action (pictured below). A member named Tamila advocates for a statewide initiative to educate communities on the importance of seeking care, and assure them that they won't be penalized, written off or dismissed for seeking that care.

A doula named Stephanie James stresses the value of doula services and the importance of making them accessible to women.

The meeting is adjourned at 3:01pm.