Oakland Launches Telehealth Program for Black Prenatal, Postpartum Care

Public and population health officials in Oakland are using a telehealth platform to improve prenatal and postpartum care management for Black residents.

The BElovedBIRTH Black Centering program, developed by the Alameda Health System and the Alameda County Public Health Department, allows parents-to-be and new parents to connect with care providers – both individually and in group session – via a connected health platform. Participants will be provided technology support and resources if needed.

The program was designed for in-person group sessions prior to the coronavirus pandemic, then moved to a virtual care format for all sessions. The first group of participants with similar due dates began meeting on October 1.

The telehealth format not only allows care providers to connect with participants in their own homes, but also enables the program to reach more people who might not have the time or resources to access in-person services.

While telehealth programs have launched across the country to address prenatal and postpartum care disparities among all populations, this is one of the first to target one of the most affected populations.

"Disparities in maternal and infant mortality in the African American community continue to be a national public health crisis and Alameda County is no exception," Anna Gruver, director and unit administrator of maternal, paternal and child adolescent Health for ACPHD, said in a press release. "I believe that through this unique program and partnership, participants will experience high-quality care from a dedicated and expert group of providers.”

"Racism is causing Black birthing people and their babies to experience pregnancy and birth complications at much higher rates," added Jyesha Wren, the co-founder and program coordinator of BElovedBIRTH Black Centering and a midwife at Alameda Health’s' Highland Hospital. "We developed BElovedBIRTH Black Centering as one answer to this crisis. Our Black community led intervention aims to honor and celebrate Black people, Black birth, and the Black community.”

Supported by the California Department of Public Health’s Perinatal Equity Initiative and the federal Health Start program, the new service is led by Black midwives at Alameda Health and ACPHD staff, in collaboration with Black family support advocates, lactation consultants, doulas and OB-GYNs.

Available in both English and Spanish, the platform offers CenteringPregnancy prenatal care and CenteringParenting postpartum care and support.