News

RH Impact and Tulane University receive $16.5 Million NIH Grant to Establish the Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity

By RH Impact ⋅ October 26, 2023

RH Impact (Reproductive Health Impact): The Collaborative for Equity & Justice, is excited to announce a grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity.

​​​Contact Information:
Jordan S. Woods 

Director, Culture Shift + Strategic Communications 

jwoods@rhimpact.org 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

RH Impact and Tulane University receive $16.5 Million NIH Grant to Establish the Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity

[New Orleans, October 26, 2023] —  RH Impact (Reproductive Health Impact): The Collaborative for Equity & Justice, is excited to announce a grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity. This Center is part of the NIH’s initiative to establish Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence aimed at reducing pregnancy-related complications and deaths while promoting maternal health equity.

The Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity is set to address Louisiana’s disproportionately high maternal mortality rate, and support health improvements across the Gulf Coast. In collaboration with Tulane University, Ochsner Health, Dillard University, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, this research hub will develop and evaluate approaches that will significantly impact maternal health outcomes in the Gulf South region.

Shifting to Advance Reproductive Health Equity

The Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity is a testament to NIH’s resounding endorsement of innovation, dedication to research, and advocacy efforts towards Black maternal health equity. This grant, awarded as part of the NIH’s $168 million Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative, underscores the urgency of promoting maternal health equity and reducing pregnancy-related complications and deaths.

“We are overjoyed to receive this NIH grant, which reaffirms our commitment to maternal health outcomes while advancing equitable reproductive health,” said Carmen Green, VP of Research & Strategy of RH Impact. “This grant will significantly bolster our capacity to challenge systemic inequities, drive evidence-based research, and engage in policy advocacy that will impact the lives of individuals and communities.”

This milestone announcement comes as RH Impact (formerly known as National Birth Equity Collaborative) unveils its new name and branding, symbolizing its renewed dedication to advancing reproductive health equity. By challenging inequities and centering Black womxn’s experiences, scholarship and activism, the organization envisions a world where Black communities can achieve our full potential for reproductive health, wellbeing, safety and joy.

Collaborative Approaches to Transforming Maternal Health

The Center will engage in collaborative research projects that address the behavioral, geographic, sociocultural, and structural factors influencing maternal health outcomes. By combining the expertise of academic, clinical, and community leaders, this initiative is uniquely positioned to make a lasting impact on maternal health equity.

“Our partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration in advancing maternal health equity,” said Dr. Susan Perez, Co-Principal Investigator of RH Impact’s research partnership. “Through community-driven strategies, innovative research, and interventions rooted in the community’s needs, we aim to reshape maternal health outcomes for the next generation.”

Addressing Disparities and Creating Sustainable Change

Louisiana’s high maternal mortality rate, particularly among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals, underscores the pressing need for a center of this type. By addressing the root causes of maternal health disparities and involving the community in every step of the process, we are confident that this partnership will drive meaningful and sustainable change. The Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity can bridge this gap through comprehensive research projects, clinical interventions, and community engagement aimed at systems improvement and transformation.

For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information about RH Impact and the Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity, please contact:

Jordan Woods, Director of the Culture Shift & Strategic Communicaitons Team, jwoods@birthequity.org

RH Impact Research & Strategy Team, research@birthequity.org

Note to Editors: For more information about RH Impact, please visit www.rhimpact.org

Reproductive Health (RH) Impact: The Collaborative for Equity & Justice (RH Impact) is a fiscally sponsored program of The Praxis Project, a 501(c)(3) public charity. RH Impact is one of the nation’s leading experts and an advocate for change in the Black maternal health and infant mortality crises. RH Impact works to create transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal, infant, sexual, and reproductive wellbeing. We shift systems and culture through training, research, technical assistance, policy, advocacy, and community-centered collaboration. To learn more visit www.rhimpact.org for more information. 

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