Join TCWH in Recognition of Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17)
Published on April 13, 2026
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) invites the community to join us in recognition of Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW). BMHW is a week-long campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA, Inc.) to build awareness, foster community-building and activism, and amplify voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of Black mothers and birthing people. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Justice and Joy,” reflects the strength of Black-led perinatal, maternal, and reproductive health organizations that have cultivated change and healing across communities, and acknowledges the enduring effects of systemic oppression, reproductive injustices, and health inequities that continue to impact Black mothers and birthing people.
According to the CDC, 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States are preventable. Black women are over three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Black mothers die at 3.2 times the rate of white mothers and their babies are more than 2.4 times as likely to die in their first year of life. Maternal mental health conditions are a frequent complication of pregnancy and childbirth, with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) affecting up to 1 in 7 pregnant and postpartum women across the nation. While Black women are more likely to develop PMAD, and 29-44% experience postpartum depressive symptoms, they are less likely to be properly connected with or receive treatment compared to white women.
Gaps in postpartum insurance and uneven Medicaid coverage leave many new parents uninsured after delivery of their baby. Medicaid pregnancy coverage typically ends at 60 days postpartum, with 31% of recipients disenrolled from Medicaid within six months, and 40% within a year. Medicaid covers approximately 60% of births to Black mothers. Decades of research show that repeated exposure to racism and hardship creates measurable, harmful wear on the body. A prolonged elevation of stress hormones, known as allostatic load, weakens the immune system, increases cardiovascular disease, damages memory cells, and induces inflammation. This biological burden raises the risk of chronic illness and pregnancy complications.
The Tompkins County Community Health Assessment (CHA) highlights our county’s own persistent inequities in maternal health and urgent need for continued action. In 2024, 65% of Black/African American birthing parents in Tompkins County received early prenatal care compared to 78% of White residents. These inequities are reflected in birth outcomes, as preterm birth rates are significantly higher among Black birthing people (13%) compared to White residents (8%), and low birth weight affects 14% of non-Hispanic Black births compared to 6% among non-Hispanic White births. Barriers such as limited provider availability, cost, transportation, and lack of culturally responsive care exacerbate these disparities. These findings, reinforced by community voices describing barriers to timely, culturally responsive, and continuous care, directly inform the County’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) priority to promote maternal and infant health and advance health equity.
There are powerful opportunities to strengthen support for Black mothers, birthing people, and families. Community-based models of care, including doula and midwifery services, offer enhanced and continuous support from pre-pregnancy through the postpartum period, particularly for those facing barriers to traditional care. National momentum is also growing. As of May 2025, 46 states, including New York State, and Washington D.C. have taken steps toward Medicaid coverage for doula care, up from 21 states in 2022. Nearly all states (49 states and Washington D.C.) have extended Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months.
TCWH Commissioner Jennie Sutcliffe stated, “When we uplift Black mothers and birthing people, we strengthen families, neighborhoods, and the health of our entire community. By working collectively, we can help ensure that justice, joy, and equitable care are at the center of every birth experience in Tompkins County.”
In alignment with the CHIP, TCWH and community partners are implementing coordinated, equity-centered initiatives to improve access to prenatal and postpartum care and support families across the perinatal period.
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At TCWH, programs such as MOMS Plus+, Healthy Infants Partnership (HiP Tompkins), and WIC provide home visiting, care navigation, breastfeeding support, and access to essential nutrition services.
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Community Baby Showers, hosted by local partners, provide essential supplies and connect families to services that promote health, stability, and social connection.
- TCWH is co-hosting a Community Baby Shower with Healthy Families Schuyler/Tompkins on May 2, 2026, from 10am-12pm, at GIAC (301 W. Court St., Ithaca).This event is free and open to expecting parents in Tompkins County. Please register to attend in order to help us know how many free resources to bring. Register online: www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health/moms or call the office: 607-274-6622.
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TCWH partners with the Doula Access Initiative to strengthen equitable prenatal and postpartum care by connecting eligible birthing people with trained doulas early in pregnancy, providing care navigation, emotional support, referrals, and advocacy, while also building local doula capacity.
Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to ensuring that all birthing people, especially those from communities impacted by racism and social injustice, have access to respectful, timely, and high-quality care before, during, and after pregnancy.
TCWH encourages residents to use and share these community resources:
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HiP Tompkins – Health Infants Partnership of Tompkins County connects families with a community health worker to improve the health and well-being of mothers, pregnant or birthing people, and their infants: 607-274-6604
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WIC – Women, Infants, and Children is a nutrition program that provides nutritious food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to healthcare and other social services to pregnant and postpartum people, as well as infants, and children up to age 5: 607-274-6630.
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Black Mamas Matter Alliance – A network of Black-led/Black women-led organizations and professionals who work to ensure that all Black mamas and birthing people have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy
TCHW also invites community members, health providers, local leaders, and policymakers to:
Come by our northeast Ithaca office (at 55 Brown Road) on Tuesday, April 14th, from 3:30pm-5:30pmto learn about the resources available at Tompkins County Whole Health. We will be hosting an Open House with Senator Lea Webb's constituent services team.