Strengthening better health outcomes for pregnant individuals and children was the focus of the Maternal and Child Health Summit hosted by Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) on Sept. 25.
The multi-agency event, planned in collaboration with Riverside University Health System (RUHS) Public Health and San Bernardino County Public Health – Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, looked to address a growing need for maternal health education across the country.
“The timing of the summit was right with the [Lindsay] Clancy case currently making headlines in the media,” said IEHP Senior Director of Integrated Care Management Heather Waters. “More and more, we’re seeing a growing ask for more maternal-focused health education, including mental health support, and our goal is to ensure our providers have the right tools to address this important and necessary type of care.”
More than 115 in attendance were greeted with information pamphlets and network opportunities before diving into a day packed with keynotes featuring speakers Dr. Kiti Freier Randall discussing Infant Mortality and Safe Sleep practices and Dr. Bryan Oshiro on Prenatal and Postpartum Screenings.
Additionally, participants took part in breakout sessions on topics such as Black infant health and health equity inclusion.
“For me, this is a really important day because not only are all of you coming together to talk about an important topic, but you’re doing it together,” IEHP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Edward Juhn told guests at the start of the event. “While there will be different conversations that might take place here today, our hope that four key areas are addressed: a unified regional approach [to care]; making sure referrals and interoperable pieces are aligned; ensuring that we are aligning data and quality goals together; and making sure everything that we are doing is community rooted.”
Addressing The Region’s Needs
In the three decades IEHP has served San Bernardino and Riverside counties, the local health plan has maintained its promise to grow along with its communities. This includes being flexible in its approach to educating the public on topics that matter most to them.
For example, The CHCF a 2023 report by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) found more than one in five people who gave birth reported prenatal or postpartum depressive symptoms, with Black women reporting higher rates of depressive symptoms more than other races/ethnicities.
Earlier this year, IEHP launched a new YouTube Series, “Healthy Conversations: Black Maternal Health,” to educate Black parents-to-be, their loved ones and the community about ways to advocate for a positive birth journey experience before and after labor.
“The current state of maternal health education is vital to our communities,” said Waters. “Our hope is that our providers left the summit feeling more empowered to support their patients with the tools and knowledge provided.”
To learn more about IEHP or for resources on maternal health services available, go to www.iehpmoms.org.