National summit brings together birth equity champions, community partners, philanthropists, and advocates to take action and discuss solutions from the National Equity Framework
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ARLINGTON, VA, June 10, 2024 – March of Dimes and the Mom and Baby Action Network (M-BAN) will host the 2024 M-BAN Summit, a multi-track, in-person conference that will be held this week in Chicago, IL on June 10 and 11, 2024, to bring together existing and prospective M-BAN members, community partners, funders, philanthropists, and March of Dimes mission staff to learn, network, commit, and take action to advance equity in maternal and infant health.
Since 2019, March of Dimes has served as the backbone organization for M-BAN and together both have collaborated around the shared vision of achieving equity in maternal and infant health outcomes by tackling complex and multi-layered issues such as racism and discrimination, exposure to environmental threats, deep lifelong economic insecurity, social isolation, and fragmented healthcare systems. As the US remains the most dangerous nation to have a baby, M-BAN mobilizes a diverse group of partners across a common agenda to achieve measurable impact and make long-lasting improvements in preterm birth, maternal health, and infant well-being.
This year’s theme, “Igniting Impact Together: Nurturing Collaborative Solutions”, rallies around the solutions outlined in the National Equity Framework (NEF), which outlines necessary strategies and solutions that can provide a framework for advancing equity in maternal and infant health, to guide these collective efforts. and tackle the complex issues driving inequities. Developed by approximately 600 organizational partners, subject matter experts, and community members, the NEF intends to accelerate birth equity for moms, babies, and their families by advancing five overarching strategies:
- Dismantle racism and address unequal treatment
- Increase access to high-quality, high-value, risk-appropriate, integrated healthcare
- Promote environmental justice to limit exposure to environmental threats
- Advance economic opportunity
- Build safe, supportive, and connected communities
“As an organization fighting for the health of moms and babies, we’re aware of the urgency, complexity, and depth of the maternal and infant crisis," said Jordana Frost, DrPH, MPH, CPH, CD(DONA), March of Dimes Director of Strategic Partnerships. "The 2024 Mom and Baby Action Network Summit gives organizations across many sectors the opportunity to collectively reconnect with each other, build on past successes and chart a course to help ensure all families have access to the care and support they need, and I'm looking forward to the collaboration at this year’s summit and beyond.”
March of Dimes and the CVS Health Foundation are partnering through a five-year initiative with M-BAN to address maternal care. The collaboration aims to expand access to community doulas, enhancing support for pregnant people and their families. This year’s summit will kick off the first in-person cohort for the grantees, highlighting innovative solutions for equitable maternity care. In the US, over 5.6 million women lack quality maternity care, risking the health of moms and babies and this initiative is a crucial step toward bridging that gap and ensuring healthy futures.
As the leading convener and active collaborator, March of Dimes provides technical assistance, guidance, training, tools, resources, and communication platforms to effectively connect partners and accelerate collective action. . March of Dimes and M-BAN are grateful to the partners supporting this year’s summit, including CareSource, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CVS Health Foundation, Sanofi, Sage, Wildflower Health, and Ba Nia, Irth App, and TheMourningProject.com.
For more information about M-BAN, the summit and the National Equality Framework, visit https://ignitingimpacttogether.marchofdimes.org/mom-and-baby-action-net….
About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs, and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Since 1938, we’ve built a successful legacy to support every pregnant person and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information.
About The Mom and Baby Action Network (M-BAN)
The Mom and Baby Action Network (M-BAN) is a national action-oriented coalition of cross-sector partners leading broad changes in policy, research, funding, and systems to address inequities in maternal and infant health. March of Dimes is an active convener and collaborator providing organizational support, including training, resources, and communication platforms to effectively connect partners and accelerate collective action to ensure that every mom and baby is healthy.