LUCC members hear about importance of maternal health equity

Filmmaker Paula Eiselt makes a point during a panel discussion about maternal mortality during the LUCC Symposium hosted by NACo President Denise Winfrey, Will County, Ill. Others on the panel are (l-r): moderator, Tarrant County Commissioner Devan Allen; EverThrive Executive Director Chi Chi Okwu and Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley. Photo by Hugh Clarke
Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
County NewsAdvocates at NACo’s LUCC symposium say American maternal mortality rates result from not listening to women and gathering more information on all women affected by maternal health complications was crucial to correcting the trend.LUCC members hear about importance of maternal health equity
-
County News Article
LUCC members hear about importance of maternal health equity
County officials from across the county gathered at NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus symposium Nov. 30-Dec. 3 in a meeting hosted by NACo President Denise Winfrey of Will County, Ill. to hear about federal and local policy solutions for addressing maternal mortality.
“It’s more dangerous now for us to give birth than our parents and grandparents,” said Paula Eiselt, director of “Aftershock,” a documentary on the U.S. maternal health crisis.
“We’re in America in 2022 and women and birthing people are dying in childbirth ––we’re the only industrialized country that this is happening in at these rates.”
“America’s urban counties play a prominent role in the lives of 160 million residents every day,” said LUCC Chair John O’Grady, in opening remarks at the symposium. “We foster conditions for economic strength, build and maintain transportation systems and critical infrastructures, promote community health and well-being, champion justice and public safety and implement a broad portfolio of state, federal and local programs.”
“My hope is that we can leverage this opportunity to learn from one another –– exchange ideas and discuss solutions that we can take back home to our respective communities.”
In addition to O’Grady, a Franklin County, Ohio commissioner, county officials at the symposium also heard from a panel on maternity health that included Tarrant County Commissioner Devan Allen moderated the panel, which included Eiselt, Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley and EverThrive Executive Director Chi Chi Okwu.
Eiselt discussed the creation of her documentary, “Aftershock,” which is now streaming on Hulu, and advocated for maternal mortality committees, the collection of more data surrounding the crisis as well as incentivizing vaginal births over C-sections, which contribute to around 37 percent of severe maternal morbidity cases.
“There are statistics and credible articles that talk about this epidemic, but when you see it, you see the people, the vibrancy of these women lost, their faces, their dreams,” Eiselt said. “That’s why we make films, so you can have a human-to-human connection –– you understand the people behind the statistics.”
The issue at the core of maternal mortality is the medical system not listening to women, particularly Black women, she noted, who are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women –– and she focused on two women in particular, and also looked at the long-term impact of the maternal health crisis.
“It was really important to center the film on these two women because they shatter every stereotype that we’re told of the reason for this crisis –– it wasn’t about their inherent health, it wasn’t about access, it really was about not being heard and the systemic racism that’s built into that system,” Eiselt said. “We also highlight and follow the families, the two fathers, that are left behind and I want to make a point of talking about that, because the title ‘Aftershock’ really talks about the ripple effect of a mother’s death and how that affects a family, a community and our entire country.”
Okwu discussed next steps in achieving birth equity, including the importance of growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, gathering more data on all women affected by maternal health complications –– not just those who die –– and access to doula care.
“We need to know [about] not just the people who have died, but the near misses,” Okwu said. “I’m not in this work so that people can survive, I’m in it so that we can thrive. It’s not enough for us to say ‘Oh, they lived,’ we want thriving parents … There are issues with mental health, needing more support, issues of suicide, substance use –– giving birth can be a very traumatic experience. It should not be, but it is especially in our country because we don’t really provide the support needed to care for those giving birth in the ways that we need to.”
Doulas are similar to midwives, but are not medical professionals –– instead, they provide emotional, informational and physical support throughout pregnancy, birth and post-partum.
Studies have found that doula care reduces racial disparities and improves the health outcomes of birthing people and is even cost effective. One study out of Oregon determined that doula care saved $91 million and led to 219,530 fewer cesarean-section births, 51 fewer maternal deaths, 382 fewer uterine ruptures and 100 fewer hysterectomies.
Doulas have only been available “to the wealthy, but it shouldn't be that way,” Okwu said. “We’ve seen the presence of doulas really helps to reduce the anxiety around being at the hospital. As someone who is Black or brown, you experience racism within the healthcare system –– at some point, you experience some sort of adverse effect there.
“So, having someone who can advocate for you is really important –– having someone who has followed you throughout the journey to really provide that information to your healthcare provider who can be with you in the post-partum period and identify some of the warning signs [of complications related to pregnancy].”
Crawley echoed the importance of doula access, highlighting ROOTT (Restoring Our Own Through Transformation), a reproductive justice organization and doula collective in Columbus, Ohio and her recent sponsor testimony in the Senate for House Bill 142, which would allow Medicaid to provide reimbursement for doula services along with offering the services in prisons. Okwu spoke to what can be done at the local level, highlighting EverThrive’s partnership with local public health organization AllianceChicago, the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health, which worked with local communities that saw the highest levels of maternal mortality and conducted surveys to identify the primary barriers of receiving adequate access and care, including non-healthcare related elements like transportation and paid sick leave.
Crawley shared her own personal experience with maternal health complications following an emergency C-section, how she was brushed off by the medical system and how it’s shaped her priorities as a county commissioner.
“I happened to be lucky, but I was traumatized and I didn’t speak about my pregnancy until I ran for office in 2018,” she said. “If maternal and infant health were going to be my platform, I had to share my experience, but I had not heard of anyone else who had had a traumatic experience like I had, so that’s how I’ve come to this work.”
Franklin County’s CelebrateOne, which launched the Health Equity Innovation and Birth Centers Initiative in 2021, can serve as a model for other counties, with initiatives like the Healthy Beginnings research project which assesses the impact of providing rental assistance with housing stabilization services to the county’s pregnant population. Franklin County is investing $1 million into CelebrateOne going into 2023.
Advocates at NACo’s LUCC symposium say American maternal mortality rates result from not listening to women and gathering more information on all women affected by maternal health complications was crucial to correcting the trend.2022-12-06County News Article2022-12-14
County officials from across the county gathered at NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus symposium Nov. 30-Dec. 3 in a meeting hosted by NACo President Denise Winfrey of Will County, Ill. to hear about federal and local policy solutions for addressing maternal mortality.
“It’s more dangerous now for us to give birth than our parents and grandparents,” said Paula Eiselt, director of “Aftershock,” a documentary on the U.S. maternal health crisis.
“We’re in America in 2022 and women and birthing people are dying in childbirth ––we’re the only industrialized country that this is happening in at these rates.”
“America’s urban counties play a prominent role in the lives of 160 million residents every day,” said LUCC Chair John O’Grady, in opening remarks at the symposium. “We foster conditions for economic strength, build and maintain transportation systems and critical infrastructures, promote community health and well-being, champion justice and public safety and implement a broad portfolio of state, federal and local programs.”
“My hope is that we can leverage this opportunity to learn from one another –– exchange ideas and discuss solutions that we can take back home to our respective communities.”
In addition to O’Grady, a Franklin County, Ohio commissioner, county officials at the symposium also heard from a panel on maternity health that included Tarrant County Commissioner Devan Allen moderated the panel, which included Eiselt, Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley and EverThrive Executive Director Chi Chi Okwu.
Eiselt discussed the creation of her documentary, “Aftershock,” which is now streaming on Hulu, and advocated for maternal mortality committees, the collection of more data surrounding the crisis as well as incentivizing vaginal births over C-sections, which contribute to around 37 percent of severe maternal morbidity cases.
“There are statistics and credible articles that talk about this epidemic, but when you see it, you see the people, the vibrancy of these women lost, their faces, their dreams,” Eiselt said. “That’s why we make films, so you can have a human-to-human connection –– you understand the people behind the statistics.”
The issue at the core of maternal mortality is the medical system not listening to women, particularly Black women, she noted, who are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women –– and she focused on two women in particular, and also looked at the long-term impact of the maternal health crisis.
“It was really important to center the film on these two women because they shatter every stereotype that we’re told of the reason for this crisis –– it wasn’t about their inherent health, it wasn’t about access, it really was about not being heard and the systemic racism that’s built into that system,” Eiselt said. “We also highlight and follow the families, the two fathers, that are left behind and I want to make a point of talking about that, because the title ‘Aftershock’ really talks about the ripple effect of a mother’s death and how that affects a family, a community and our entire country.”
Okwu discussed next steps in achieving birth equity, including the importance of growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, gathering more data on all women affected by maternal health complications –– not just those who die –– and access to doula care.
“We need to know [about] not just the people who have died, but the near misses,” Okwu said. “I’m not in this work so that people can survive, I’m in it so that we can thrive. It’s not enough for us to say ‘Oh, they lived,’ we want thriving parents … There are issues with mental health, needing more support, issues of suicide, substance use –– giving birth can be a very traumatic experience. It should not be, but it is especially in our country because we don’t really provide the support needed to care for those giving birth in the ways that we need to.”
Doulas are similar to midwives, but are not medical professionals –– instead, they provide emotional, informational and physical support throughout pregnancy, birth and post-partum.
Studies have found that doula care reduces racial disparities and improves the health outcomes of birthing people and is even cost effective. One study out of Oregon determined that doula care saved $91 million and led to 219,530 fewer cesarean-section births, 51 fewer maternal deaths, 382 fewer uterine ruptures and 100 fewer hysterectomies.
Doulas have only been available “to the wealthy, but it shouldn't be that way,” Okwu said. “We’ve seen the presence of doulas really helps to reduce the anxiety around being at the hospital. As someone who is Black or brown, you experience racism within the healthcare system –– at some point, you experience some sort of adverse effect there.
“So, having someone who can advocate for you is really important –– having someone who has followed you throughout the journey to really provide that information to your healthcare provider who can be with you in the post-partum period and identify some of the warning signs [of complications related to pregnancy].”
Crawley echoed the importance of doula access, highlighting ROOTT (Restoring Our Own Through Transformation), a reproductive justice organization and doula collective in Columbus, Ohio and her recent sponsor testimony in the Senate for House Bill 142, which would allow Medicaid to provide reimbursement for doula services along with offering the services in prisons. Okwu spoke to what can be done at the local level, highlighting EverThrive’s partnership with local public health organization AllianceChicago, the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health, which worked with local communities that saw the highest levels of maternal mortality and conducted surveys to identify the primary barriers of receiving adequate access and care, including non-healthcare related elements like transportation and paid sick leave.
Crawley shared her own personal experience with maternal health complications following an emergency C-section, how she was brushed off by the medical system and how it’s shaped her priorities as a county commissioner.
“I happened to be lucky, but I was traumatized and I didn’t speak about my pregnancy until I ran for office in 2018,” she said. “If maternal and infant health were going to be my platform, I had to share my experience, but I had not heard of anyone else who had had a traumatic experience like I had, so that’s how I’ve come to this work.”
Franklin County’s CelebrateOne, which launched the Health Equity Innovation and Birth Centers Initiative in 2021, can serve as a model for other counties, with initiatives like the Healthy Beginnings research project which assesses the impact of providing rental assistance with housing stabilization services to the county’s pregnant population. Franklin County is investing $1 million into CelebrateOne going into 2023.
Hero 1

About Meredith Moran (Full Bio)
County News Junior Staff Writer
Meredith is NACo’s junior staff writer. She is responsible for contributing content for each bimonthly issue of the print newspaper of County News, including interviewing sources, completing revisions after copy editing and gathering images to accompany articles.More from Meredith Moran
-
Blog
Addressing social determinants of health with GIS technology
Discover the transformative power of GIS technology in addressing social determinants of health and building healthier communities. -
Blog
New CDC data reveals rates of poor mental health and suicidality on the rise for youth in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011-2019, which provides data on health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death amongst youth and adults. -
Blog
HHS releases guidance on the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
On February 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance on the agency’s plan to end the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11, 2023. -
Blog
Addressing Disparities in STI Screening With At-Home Testing
Let's work together to increase access to STI screening and care through innovative solutions such as at-home testing and improve health equity for all. -
Blog
CMS approves first-ever MIEP waiver for the state of California
On January 26, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, approved a first-of-its-kind Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program section 1115 demonstration amendment in California, which will connect justice-involved people in jails and prisons with community-based Medicaid providers 90 days before their release to ensure continuity of care upon return to the community. -
Reports & Toolkits
The County Role In Long-Term Care
County governments play an essential role in ensuring the health and safety of older Americans and individuals with disabilities as key administrators of safety net programs and services.
Contact
-
County News Junior Staff Writer(202) 942-4281
Related Resources
-
County News
Keith Carson channels Berkeley upbringing on Alameda County Board
A student government program that kept Keith Carson out of jail as a teenager helped him find a talent and passion for government and launched a career that has included 30 years on the Alameda County, Calif. Board of Supervisors. -
County News
Transportation, housing programs highlighted at LUCC business meeting
U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and Erika Poethig, special assistant to the president for housing and urban policy, shared their expertise at the Large Urban County Caucus business meeting. -
County News
LUCC members tour transportation, health centers
Large Urban County Caucus members saw Will County, Ill.'s innovative projects that are in the works to increase convenience, efficiency and sustainability in transportation for the largest inland port in the country.
-
Press Release
Metropolitan County Leaders Invest American Rescue Plan Resources in Pandemic Response, Mental Health, Homelessness
Elected leaders from major urban counties with over 4.2 million residents this week outlined how they are deploying resources from the American Rescue Plan to respond to urgent community needs. -
Video
Capitol Hill Briefing: Leveraging ARPA Funding to Respond to the Pandemic and Address the Nation’s Mental Health and Homelessness Crises
Leaders of NACo's Large Urban County Caucus host a Capitol Hill briefing to describe how counties are investing in pandemic recovery, including efforts to address the nation’s growing behavioral health and homelessness crises. -
Workshop
2022 Large Urban County Caucus Meeting
NACo's Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) is the premier national forum for the exchange of ideas and solutions that help urban counties address their most pressing issues.
Related Events
-
5Apr2023Webinar
County Leaders Championing Justice Efforts in Local Communities
Apr. 5, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
19Apr2023Webinar
Strategies for Leveraging County Health Rankings Data to Improve Community Health
Apr. 19, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
More From
-
2022 Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Large Urban County Caucus Symposium
County leaders convene at NACo's Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Symposium.
Learn More