The beats of life heard on a monitor… An image of your baby seen on a screen… The first flutters in your belly…
These milestones can bring feelings of joy and anticipation for both a pregnant mother and her family. Yet, for some, the experience will be different. Although most families will experience a pregnancy that leads to a successful childbirth and a lifetime of future milestones, this year in Cuyahoga County nearly 100 families may experience the loss of their infant and nearly 90 women could lose their baby before they are even born.
Infant mortality, or the rate of deaths per 1,000 live births within the first year of life, is a health indicator used to describe how well a community is doing. In Cuyahoga County, we are not doing well. The 2020–22 three-year infant mortality rate for Cuyahoga County was 7.3, significantly higher than the national Healthy People 2030 goal of 5.0. The rate of death for Black babies was 13.4 compared to the white rate of 4.6—almost three times as high. There are zip codes in our county with an infant mortality rate of zero, while others have rates higher than 26.
Our county houses the most prestigious healthcare institutions in the country but produces some of the worst health outcomes. The reality is healthcare is only a part of the solution—a means to monitor health, intervene in the event of a potential crisis, and provide treatments for symptoms produced by an environment that does not support health. It is vital that we all focus on the environment, social determinants, and broken systems if progress is to be made.
First Year Cleveland (FYC) is an organization created to work with the community to identify and implement key solutions supported through policy, advocacy and fundraising. Serving as the community’s connector, protector and activator, the organization is positioned to assess the landscape and connections between social conditions, public health and infant mortality.
In 2022, First Year Cleveland moved from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine to the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. This disciplinary shift supported FYC pivoting the narrative from primarily individual responsibility to systems accountability, which is imperative to creating the thriving communities that all families deserve. The organization has been intentional about making the connection between racism and infant death through opinion pieces regarding Mother’s Day, Governor Mike DeWine’s budget proposal and Ohio’s diaper capacity. FYC has also participated in community presentations, panel discussions and media efforts to illuminate the reality of racist ideology as the driver of inequalities we see across our county, state and nation. Since their transition to the Mandel School, First Year Cleveland has received $9.4M in award funds—few schools of social work are afforded the opportunities to lead such multisectoral and system-level efforts that are funded by foundations, the state, city and philanthropic efforts.
Addressing social drivers of infant mortality is one of the organization’s strategic priorities. One of the most significant influences of health is housing—access, quality, affordability and location—which is impacted by various factors such as income, housing stock and policy. Studies have shown a clear connection between housing instability and infant mortality. In 2024, First Year Cleveland secured almost $1 million to launch the Healthy Beginnings at Home research project to address housing insecurity for at least 30 pregnant women over two years, while offering additional support to meet social and clinical needs. Joining the work being done in Columbus and Akron, this effort provides further evidence to justify pregnancy as a priority population for housing subsidies.
Additionally, FYC has created funding opportunities for current housing facilities and organizations that serve pregnant women who are at risk of homelessness. These funds will support infrastructure needs for housing facilities and one-time rental assistance for pregnant families with challenges maintaining housing.
Providing programming and temporary funding is necessary, but without a sustainable policy reform, the risk of homelessness will continue to rise. This year’s second Infant Vitality Advocacy Day is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Ohio Statehouse. FYC will join partners across Ohio to collectively advocate for legislation that supports housing for pregnant women, including income discrimination, subsidies, gap funding and safety.
First Year Cleveland is committed to supporting the needs of families, community organizations and providers by continuing to listen, respond and hold systems accountable for their role in ensuring that every family in Cuyahoga County is thriving. By providing the foundation for a perspective transformation, FYC aims to ensure every individual understands they have a role in this work.
Read more news from First Year Cleveland
- The inclusion of addiction overdose deaths causes Ohio’s maternal mortality numbers to nearly double
- A new First Year
- How First Year Cleveland is combating infant mortality in Northeast Ohio: Game Changers
- Infant mortality rates are declining in Cuyahoga County, but racial disparities remain prevalent
- First Year Cleveland awarded $4.8 million Medicaid grant