About 10 in every 1,000 babies born in Montgomery County die before their first birthday, according to Public Health-Dayton and Montgomery County.
And, the mortality rate for Black babies is over double that of white infants.
So the county recently relaunched its Maternal and Infant Health Task Force.
It’ll replace the Everyone Reach One program run by Public Health since 2017, said Haley Caretta, director of strategic initiatives for the county.
"Our numbers still aren't where we want them to be," Caretta said. "This relaunch will have a slightly different structure and greater representation from our providers and local hospitals. It'll also provide a time to identify any other community partners or families that were missing at the table in this structure."
Public Health's Community Health Improvement Plan set six goals for 2023 through 2025. The first: All babies in Montgomery County be born healthy and celebrate their first birthday.
They planned to achieve this by advocating for breastfeeding and abstaining from smoking, preventing sleep-related deaths, addressing low birth weight and increasing access to prenatal care.
The new task force will add a partnership with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.
"We still haven't met our goal to ensure that every baby reaches their first birthday in Montgomery County," Caretta said. "This is an opportunity to say we can do better and allow us to have that refresh and restart, and I think that'll be really unique and a good opportunity from a slightly different lens from the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association."
An independent facilitator will lead three listening sessions.
"We want to hear what are those barriers that our moms are facing pre-conception and into that first year of their baby's life. Are your housing needs met?" Caretta said. "Do you have enough food to eat? Can you pay your rent? How can we help ensure that you're making it to all your prenatal appointments?"
Input from community members, partners and providers will form the task force’s goals and strategies.
