CHARLES R . DREW UNIVERSITY
SCIENCE AND HEALTH
CDU Launches Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence
CDU launched the Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence ( BMHCE ) in April 2021 . The BMHCE aims to address the persistent birthing disparities that disproportionately impact Black birthing women in Los Angeles County .
Dr . Bita Amani and Dr . Brandi Desjolais , Co-Directors of the Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence , were awarded three separate grants from Kaiser Permanente , UniHealth , and Hilton foundation to develop a Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence at CDU , totaling more than one million dollars over three years .
“ As a member of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ( DPH ) African American Infant and Maternal Mortality ( AAIMM ) Prevention Initiative , CDU ' s BMHCE is working toward the county-wide goal of reducing disparities in black infant and maternal mortality ,” said Dr . Desjolais . “ Existing care models were not designed to meet the needs of Black birthing families , and historical injustices are still present .”
BMHCE is working toward the larger L . A . County DPH health equity goal of reducing Black birthing disparities by 30 % by 2023 . Its specific goals are to improve birth outcomes for Black birthing persons in Los Angeles County and address the structural racism , specifically anti-Black racism , at the root of the birth disparities gap .
“ With the funding support we ’ ve received , the BMHCE is addressing system gaps across workforce development , research , and programmatic support while strengthening relationships across the stakeholders that serve our families ,” stated Dr . Amani . “ A primary focus is to demonstrate the benefits of community-based midwifery care bolstered by multi-disciplinary teams as an alternative way for providers and patients to relate to each other and realize our collective vision of safe and joyous births ."
The objectives designed to meet these goals are to offer Black-centered community-based multidisciplinary care and provide workforce development and training across many specialties on the role of community-based care and implicit bias in delivery of care . They also aim to improve hospital integration / transport / communication between community midwives and hospital-based birth workers , as well as engage in projects and collaborations that target structural racism .
MPH program receives Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students
The Master in Public Health ( MPH ) Program in the Department of Urban Public Health received a Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA ) Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students grant ( SDS ) in 2020 . The grant of approximately $ 2.5 million will provide scholarships to students from underrepresented minority groups and disadvantaged backgrounds that cover 50-60 % of the MPH tuition , as well as funding for student educational supplies for one academic year , over five years .
“ CDU ’ s MPH graduates will have the knowledge and skills to join the public health workforce to address the social determinants of health that impact the health and quality of life of underserved communities ,” said Department Chair Dr . Sondos Islam , Principal Investigator for the five-year grant . “ Our MPH graduates are committed to serving the health needs of underserved communities , and are trained to advocate for health equity and social justice , which are critically important especially in these challenging times .”
The funding will be deployed through 2025 . A total of 37 MPH students – 22 new students and 15 continuing students – qualified for the HRSA MPH-SDS award .
HRSA programs provide equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable . SDS aims to promote diversity among the health professions by providing awards to eligible health professions and nursing schools , so schools can provide scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have a demonstrated financial need and are enrolled full-time in a health profession program or nursing program .
24 COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH