The Black Maternal Health ECHO is made up of people who are passionate about making pregnancy and childbirth safe for Black women. It is a space for a range professionals who care about Black women’s lives to share their stories and experiences, learn from each other, and work to inspire others to action.
The program launched as a one-year pilot at the University of Indiana in 2023. Originally called the Minority Maternal Health ECHO, the program covered a range of topics and attracted more than 50 participants every month, including not just clinicians but case managers, social workers, midwives, doulas, people from non-profits, and researchers doing work in health disparities.
During the second year of operation, the program changed its name to the Black Maternal Health ECHO because they thought it would be more relevant. Topics have included: barriers to health care for Black patients, a two-part series on supporting Black fathers in family health and supporting Black mothers, birth justice, lived experiences of Black birth workers, trauma-informed care for Black women, and perinatal mental health and addiction
The program will begin its third year in January 2025.