As part of its Health strategy, United Way of Greater Milwaukee has made reducing infant mortality a priority by establishing the Healthy Birth Initiative: Reducing Infant Mortality. Through this initiative, United Way is committed to helping reach the community-wide goal to reduce Milwaukee’s infant mortality rate by 10% through:
In addition to being the 7th worst city for infant mortality among the 53 largest cities in the United States, according to the 2007 Big Cities Health Inventory, Milwaukee also has the highest gap in black‐to-white infant deaths. In 2009, there were 122 infant deaths in the City of Milwaukee. Many of these deaths were preventable.
View PSA.
Find resources in our community.
Empowering Families of Milwaukee (Milwaukee Health Department) In July 2011, United Way announced an initial grant of $200,000 to the City of Milwaukee to improve birth outcomes in a targeted geographic area with the worst birth outcomes in the city: 53206, 53210, and 53216. Evidence-based activities funded through the grant will include direct family services, as well as advocacy efforts and education. Inter-conception Care Home Visiting Pilot Project This is a 2-year pilot partnership between Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Tina Mason, Director of OB/GYN Department at ASMC and Aurora Family Service. The project will help at-risk women in the inter-conception period to develop the skills to better navigate the health care and public health systems, receive optimum care, connect to the social service and community resources that are available, become adept at self-care and achieve better birth outcomes with future pregnancies. Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers Infant Safety Project This project will provide three specific service components focused on keeping babies safe. These funds will also be used to support the clinic’s overall focus on infant mortality prevention and awareness about resources and services available. CRIHB Website (Center for Urban Population Health) Community-accessible Research Information on Healthy Births (CRIHB.net) will centralize greater Milwaukee’s research, programs, interventions, and policies related to birth outcomes. The content of this website will link and inform healthcare organizations, academic institutions, governmental, and community-based organizations that seek to improve birth outcomes in Milwaukee. Cribs for Kids (Milwaukee Health Department) One strategy for preventing infant deaths is to make sure that all babies have access to a safe sleep environment. The City of Milwaukee Health Department became an official Cribs for Kids® site in May 2009. The Cribs for Kids® program provides Milwaukee families with Pack ‘n Plays® to help reduce deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and unsafe sleep. For more information, please contact Nicole Angresano at 414-263-8115.