Children’s Hospital Colorado – Black Health Initiative
Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO) is aware of the studies that verify that Black birthing patients and infants die at higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups, both in Colorado and across the nation. As a result, CHCO, in concert with community members and advocates, founded the Black Health Initiative (BHI), to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and to improve the birthing experience for people of color. This will soon be renamed to “The Dixon Focused Health Initiatives” starting in 2025, honoring Mrs. Jeannie Dixon, now-retired colleague who led and implemented this work.
The goals and objectives of BHI include the following:
- Encourage team members and providers to participate in a five-hour culturally responsive, simulated clinical and behavioral health training that addresses the disproportionate rate of premature births, infant deaths, maternal mortality, and common experiences of bias experienced by Black parents and families in various health care settings.
- Develop policies, practices, and an organizational culture that recognizes and reduces implicit bias in health care.
- Develop a definition and framework for health equity and apply principles that help Black families achieve their highest level of health.
Some successes of the BHI include a substantial grant award by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to continue clinical simulation training and to expand the offering to resident physicians. Additionally, more than 200 team members, providers and community advocates have completed the simulation training. Finally, this work is community led and dependent on the input and feedback of Black community advocates.
To learn more about this program, please contact Robert Franklin II, director of diversity, health equity and inclusion at Children’s Colorado at [email protected].
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