LONG BEACH — The City of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the California Department of Public Health or CDHP over two years for the coordination, development and implementation of a public awareness campaign centered on the Black Infant Health or BIH Program.
Black babies in America die in their first year of life at more than twice the rate of babies from all other populations because they are born too soon and are too small. Likewise, more black women die during pregnancy and childbirth than any other ethnic group. Evidence suggests that negative birth outcomes of black women may be linked to chronic stress associated with social factors including racial discrimination.
Established in 1989, the Long Beach BIH Program supports 150 pregnant and postpartum women annually. The Long Beach BIH Program is one of 17 BIH programs across the state.
Long Beach BIH Program will collaborate with the Northern California grantee, Alameda County Public Health Department, to develop a statewide public awareness campaign focused on maternal and infant birth inequities in California. The campaign will include an app that will provide pregnancy education, gestational calendars, meditation and stress reduction strategies, as well as breastfeeding information specifically tailored to black women. The campaign will span across all 17 BIH programs.