Triple Crown Initiative: Babies Win, Families Thrive, Communities Transformed!

(Black PR Wire) Detroit, MI—Henry Ford Health and Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA) have been named joint recipients of an up to four-year, $4.8 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). Triple Crown: Babies Win. Families Thrive. Communities Transformed! will see the two organizations jointly champion improved Black maternal health outcomes through community-based outreach as part of the Healthy Families Community-based Perinatal Health Initiative (COPHI). Ten other organizations were also awarded the grant which totaled $13.2 million for the grant period’s first year.

Designed with the vitality of Detroit in mind, Triple Crown: Babies Win. Families Thrive. Communities Transformed! is a multi-pronged project that will directly confront racial inequities in healthcare by supporting infrastructural change within policy, expanding access to community-based maternal support services (COMSS) including the training of 180 community-based doulas, community health workers and breastfeeding peer counselors, and by cultivating an integrative approach that connects Detroit’s healthcare systems with holistic birth resources for Black families. Through 2027, Triple Crown will build a unified network of advocacy for expectant and postpartum people, wholly rooted in the provision of continuous, equitable care across the spectrum of community midwifery services, fatherhood initiatives, and more, with a specialized focus on perinatal mental health.

According to March of Dimes, 1 in 7 women suffers from postpartum depression. Statistically, Black birthing people are more prone to experience the condition and less likely to receive treatment. Kiddada Green, Founding Executive Director of Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association and Triple Crown Co-PI, says the grant will make way for positive change in Detroit’s maternal-child-health landscape.

“We are thankful to have received this grant, enabling us to further our mission,” said Green. “The Triple Crown initiative embodies a collaborative approach that recognizes the importance of addressing social determinants of health and fostering a supportive environment for pregnant and postpartum individuals. By uniting trusted stakeholders, we aim to uplift Detroit’s families, making a lasting impact on maternal and infant health outcomes in the Detroit Community.”

Local Detroit healthcare partners will also be involved with the execution of Triple Crown: Babies Win. Families Thrive. Communities Transformed!, allowing for strategic collaboration and well-rounded community input. The University of Michigan Child Health Evaluation and Research Center (CHEAR) will evaluate the initiative. Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Senior Vice President of Community Health Equity, Chief Wellness & Diversity Officer with Henry Ford Health and Triple Crown Co-PI, believes the collective effort invested in the project rings true to the Motor City’s valiant spirit.

“Henry Ford Health, in collaboration with our esteemed partners, is committed to empowering our community allies and nurturing a collective capacity that resonates with the inherent strength of Detroit itself,” said Wisdom. “Together, we are dedicated to surmounting disparities and championing the cause to diminish racial inequities in maternal and child health. Detroit, with its resilience and spirit, is not merely our home; it is the canvas upon which Henry Ford Health, our partners, and the families we serve collectively and artistically craft a healthier, more equitable future for all.”

Triple Crown is anticipated to reach 3,600 pregnant and postpartum Black birthing people and their families by August 2027. To learn more about the project, visit hhs.gov.

Note: This project is supported by the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a 2023 financial assistance award totaling $1,522,647 with 82% funded by OMH/OASH/HHS and $272,647 and 18% funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, OMH/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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About Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association

BMBFA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community-based organization and the leader of many local, state, and national programs aligned with the organization’s mission to reduce racial inequities in breastfeeding support for Black families.

Find out more at https://blackmothersbreastfeeding.org/