HMHB Publishes 2018-2021 Strategic Plan to Address Infant Mortality

February 7, 2018 - Atlanta, GAYesterday, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia released the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan to Address Infant Mortality in the Atlanta Perinatal Region (APR). In 2016, the Georgia Department of Public Health announced their project, Building Capacity to Address Infant Mortality in Georgia: A Collaborative Mini-Grant Program. Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia was one of five community-based partners to be awarded a grant through this initiative, specifically to address infant mortality rates in the Atlanta Perinatal Region.HMHB convened more than 85 stakeholders throughout the region, including hospitals, clinics, state agencies, professional provider associations, care management organizations, and experts from local, state and national organizations focused on maternal and infant health. The inputs garnered from their responses to an initial survey, as well as their decision-making processes throughout three convening sessions in May and June of 2017 have provided the basis for the Strategic Plan to Address Infant Mortality in the Atlanta Perinatal Region.The plan was developed by stakeholders serving communities in the APR as a call to action for agencies and organizations to commit to working together to reduce IMR in the APR by 2021 through collaborative efforts by addressing access to care, maternal health, social determinants of health and addressing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)."The report captures many voices and perspectives from those serving families across the region," explains HMHB executive director, Elise Blasingame. "We are looking forward to working with stakeholders to now operationalize the goals and objectives outlined here through evidence-based interventions and innovative practices."     All materials and data used during the planning process, along with summaries from each convening session can be found online.Outlines of infant mortality reduction projects funded by the mini-grant can be found in our Presentation Archive.