The Birthing Project USA

CM: Why do you feel the African-American community suffers from the highest rates of infant mortality?
KTH:

• African Americans have an excess death rate overall of fifty percent between birth and 65 years of age.
• African Americans are disproportionably impacted by health problems that are aggravated by stress, including pregnancy.
• I don’t think we know why our babies die at such high rates. I don’t think we have all the right people working on the answers, and I don’t think we are asking all the right questions.
• I think we need to inform the public about our excessively high rates and make a commitment to find out what needs to be done to improve them.

CM: What are some strategies you’ve implemented that help improve birth outcomes?
KTH:

• The Birthing Project USA helps to reduce stress by providing social support and education to, and advocacy for, pregnant and parenting women.
• The Birthing Project has been very assertive in educating community members regarding the need for early and continuous care, and social support for pregnant families.
• The SisterFriends in Sacramento have implemented a model woman’s health agency to provide medical care and risk reduction services for teens, and employment and support to fathers.

CM: What are common services people request?
KTH: The most common service requested is a SisterFriend to provide one-on-one support.

CM: How do you find resources for them?
KTH: SisterFriends are provided with information to identify health resources.

CM: What is your professional background, and how has it helped you in the success in your project?
KTH: My professional background is in Public Health. As a Public Health Advisor for the State of California for thirteen years, I was involved in every aspect of planning and financing public health. Prior to obtaining advanced degrees at UCLA, I was in an abusive marriage that left my two children and me living in the bus station. These two experiences have helped me understand the big picture of health care and the realities of womens’ lives, and to use my knowledge of both to bridge cultural and professional barriers to help women understand and access health care and social services.