B3. Roundtable: Building a Stronger Workforce: Equitable Approaches to Maternal and Child Health Development
B3.03 - Roundtable: Using Birth Professional Trainings as a Maternal Health Prevention Strategy
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM PST
Location: Catalina, 2nd Floor
Area of Responsibility: Area III: Implementation Subcompetencies: 7.2 Prepare others to provide health education and promotion., 7.2.5 Implement training.
Full Professor & Department Chair Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
The learner will be able to describe how the trainings offered by JCSU address primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies.
The learner will be able to process the impact of these trainings on the individuals and their community.
The learner will be able to advocate for individuals entering the birth professioanl field by encouraging more training opportunities.
Brief Abstract Summary: The Birth Professionals Program (BPP) is an innovative program at Johnson C Smith University that addresses the health disparities of maternal health and infant mortality. By offering training programs for individuals to become preconception peer educators, certified birth doulas, certified childbirth educators, or certified lactation consultants, JCSU is increasing the representation of individuals of color in the birthing profession. This is crucial in providing culturally competent and supportive care to minority families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. JCSU has been offering maternal health trainings since 2010. This presentation will showcase how these trainings serve as prevention strategies and discuss the impact of these programs on participants. The impact of JCSU's Birthing Professionals Program is far-reaching and significant and ensures that families of color receive support and appropriate care.
Detailed abstract description: The Birth Professionals Program (BPP) is an innovative program at Johnson C Smith University that addresses the health disparities of maternal health and infant mortality. Infant mortality is an indication of the health of the nation; beyond the physical loss of a mom, maternal mortality can have long term emotional effects for the offspring. By offering training programs for individuals to become preconception peer educators, certified birth doulas, certified childbirth educators, or certified lactation consultants, JCSU is increasing the representation of individuals of color in the birthing profession. This is crucial in providing culturally competent and supportive care to minority families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. JCSU has been offering preconception health peer education trainings since 2010 and started offering birth professional trainings that could lead to employment opportunities in 2017. This presentation will showcase how these trainings serve as prevention strategies and discuss the impact of these programs on participants. These programs play a significant role in rebuilding trust in public health through education, training and partnership. The impact of JCSU's Birthing Professionals Program is far-reaching and significant and ensures that families of color receive support and appropriate care. Adding more advocacy and expertise to the field of birthing professionals not only improves the quality of care for families of color, but also helps to address the underlying trust issues that have contributed to the disparities in black maternal and infant mortality rates.
