Voices & Choices for Children MN recognizes that the earliest and most critical policy interventions occur during the prenatal period and birth. To intercept racial disparities at their origin, we have significantly expanded our focus on maternal health.
We actively endorsed planning grants this session to support culturally responsive care models, arguing that increasing access to such care “interrupts the racial disparities in birth outcomes”. This includes supporting:
• SF 4992: A planning grant for an American Indian-focused Birth Center, designed to center traditional healing and cultural needs.
• SF 5171: Funding for planning an African American-focused Homeplace Model, which will provide perinatal care, lactation support, and nutrition education in a culturally safe space.
These legislative efforts position culturally responsive centers as essential public health infrastructure. Our “Prenatal to 8” mission means we view birth outcomes as the first educational and health milestone for a child.
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