Since the launch of Laboring with Hope in 2019, we have continued to evolve and work toward addressing the issue of Black maternal mortality. Check out our work here:
Health & Racial Equity in Maternal Care Pilot Course
Six Dimension, LLC was awarded a three-year grant of $185,000 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to improve Black maternal mortality rates and address maternal mortality inequities. The Health and Racial Equity in Maternal Care Project will run from January 2021 to December 2023. We are developing an academic course to be piloted and incorporated into nursing schools and schools of public health.
The MS Mother & Birthworker Community
We partner with Magnolia Medical Foundation to improve health outcomes for Black mothers and babies in Jackson, MS. This project includes:
Developing a Birth Worker Registry for Mississippi which will be a place for doulas, midwives and lactation professionals to showcase their work and market their services to mothers and families.
Providing supportive services to Black mothers. The ten (10) mothers in our program receive a variety of services that are designed to alleviate some of the social burdens that often contribute to poor maternal health outcomes for Black women. Mothers receive:
Access to a doula
Group and 1-on-1 mental health services
A stipend
Education
Other resources: breastpump, diapers, car seats, food, and other necessities
Educating the community on breastfeeding and doula services. Visit the MS Mother & Birth Worker Community on Facebook to view our educational videos about breastfeeding and doula services.
Black Maternal Health Outreach
We work with the MS State Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health to conduct outreach and education around maternal mortality and strategies to improve maternal mortality. Please visit our Facebook page to watch some of our educational sessions. Download some of our resource tools here.
Doula Capacity Building
Six Dimensions was awarded funding from AmeriGroup Mississippi to support building the capacity of doulas to sustain as a career or business if they desire. We are hosting a series of business development trainings and workshops to support this capacity building effort.
Culture of Health Leaders Strategic Initiative
Dr. Nakeitra Burse is a Leader in the 4th Cohort of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Leaders Program. As a part of her Strategic Initiative, she has developed a Community Advisory Council composed of doulas and other public health professionals to 1) co-create the doula registry for Mississippi and 2) continue to support doulas in building their capacity to sustain as a full-time career, if they desire.