Solano County - Black Infant Health Coalition

Black Infant Health Coalition



Black Infant Health Coalition Resources
Want to become an official member of the Black Infant Health Coalition? Download the board member application and return the Black Infant Health staff at: 1680 Fairgrounds, Suite A, Vallejo, CA 94589. To download the BIH brochure Click Here Your Baby Matters - Solano County Coalition to Reduce Infant Death designed a English/Spanish brochure and posters to help educate the community about reducing the risk of SIDS. Posters are available in English, Spanish, and English featuring African American babies. Materials funded in part by the SIDS Alliance of Northern California. Looking for Resources? View and print the Teen Resource Card for information about pregnancy related services, birth control, sexually transmitted infection screening, AIDS & HIV screening, substance abuse services, support services, as well as a list of other community resources.

Description
The Coalition was established in 1992. The focus of the Coalition is to Increase community awareness about African-American infant mortality in Solano County. The Coalition alos advises BIH program staff on issues in the African-American community.

Mission
The mission of the BIH Coalition is to reduce infant mortality rates in African American families by providing strategies to reduce barriers to care and advocacy around health issues relating to the African American community.

Goals/Focus
Build and strengthen collaborative relationships with the community to increase access to program resources, recruit volunteers and secure in-kind contributions and services. Involve African-American fathers in the care, nurturing and parenting of African-American children. Encourage BIH participants to utilize resources, become self-reliant, embrace challenges, make appropriate choices, recognize and eliminate barriers. Raise the community?s awareness of the problems of infant mortality in the African-American community.

BIH Meetings
· 3rd Thursday of every month. · 1680 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo, CA 94589. · 5:00 p.m. ? 6:30 p.m. · View BIH Coalition Agendas and Minutes · View the Calendar of Events

Accomplishments
Expanded BIH service area in Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun to include Vacaville. In 1990 Solano County Health and Social Services was funded to develop solutions to current problems with infant mortality of black babies In January 1991, the Solano County Black Infant Health Program was developed to improve access to care and birth outcomes for African-American women and their babies. A community advisory board was formed with representatives from the African-American community. In 1995, a BIH community needs assessment was conducted and it was determined that Solano County needs to implement Social Support and Empowerment classes, Role of the Men and Case Management. In 1997 with the direction from the Community Advisory Board and Solano County Health & Social Services Maternal Child Health (MCH) Division implemented Prenatal Care Outreach and Social Support and Empowerment. In 1998, Solano County BIH Program received the Winnie Award for outstanding client tracking, presented by the San Diego State University, BIH Evaluation Project. In 1999, Solano County BIH Program received the highest honor, The Winnie Award, for contributions to improving the health of African-American women and their children. In 2000, BIH received Kaiser funding for the Alumni Program and the Alumni/Mentor Group was established. In 2001, BIH expanded to Fairfield/Suisun and adopted the Case Management model at both sites. In 2001, the Black Infant Health Program won the Maternal Child Health Award for the performance, "Myisha's Baby Shower." This play was developed by Tiombe Mashamba (former Health Education Specialist) and presented at the community theaters in June 2000 and June 2001. In 2004, BIH was generously funded by Solano First Five, Children and Families Commission to expand services in Vacaville. In 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed February 20th - 26th, as "African-American Infant Health Week." In 2005, First 5 Solano selected Norma Thigpen, BIH Manager, as the new Commissioner.

Current Projects
· New Orientation Packet · Media Kit · Board Mixer · By-Laws · BIH History · More Excellent Way (MEW)

Services/Resources
Intervention models: Prenatal Care Outreach, Case Management and Social Support and Empowerment models. Sisters By Choice Mentoring program

Gaps/Challenges
Some challenges are: housing, finding appropriate mental health resources, food, transportation, making ends meet, residential treatment programs, provider insensitivity/racial barriers, etc. A large percent of clients work and find it difficult to schedule BIH appointments (BIH services are approved Welfare-to-Work activities). Substance use. Lack of childcare. Not getting into early Prenatal Care.

Participating Affiliations
(Non-exclusive) · Adolescent Family Life Planning (AFLP) · Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP) · Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP) · Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) · True Love Baptist Church · St. Stephens Baptist Church · Black Infant Health clients · Sam Yeto Continuation High School · National Council of Negro Women · Fighting Back Partnership · Imani Fellowship, Vallejo · Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Contact
For more information or to verify meeting date, time and location please contact us at (707) 553-5055 or (707) 784-8770.