How Enrich Health Is Changing Maternal Care for Black Families in CT
Introduction
The journey to motherhood should be filled with joy, anticipation, and comprehensive support. Yet for Black families across Connecticut and the United States, pregnancy and childbirth often come with heightened anxiety due to well-documented disparities in maternal healthcare. These disparities aren't just statistics—they represent real families facing preventable complications, inadequate care, and systemic barriers that have persisted for generations.
At Enrich Health, we recognized that addressing these disparities requires more than good intentions. It demands a fundamental reimagining of how maternal care is delivered, with Black women and families at the center of every decision.
The Black Maternal Health Crisis in the U.S.
Disparities by the Numbers
The statistics surrounding Black maternal health in America paint a sobering picture that demands immediate attention and systemic change. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women, with the 2021 maternal mortality rate reaching 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births for Black women compared to just 26.6 for White women.
The ripple effects extend to the next generation as well. Black infants face mortality rates of 10.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double the rate of 4.4 deaths per 1,000 for White infants. These statistics reveal the intergenerational impact of healthcare disparities, where inadequate maternal care affects both mother and child outcomes.
Perhaps most troubling is that over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the CDC.
Root Causes
Understanding the numbers is only the first step. The root causes of these disparities run deep, encompassing systemic racism, provider bias, and social determinants of health that create barriers long before a woman enters a delivery room.
Systemic racism manifests in healthcare through underfunded community health centers, limited access to specialized care, and insurance barriers that prevent timely intervention. Provider bias, whether conscious or unconscious, can lead to Black women's pain being dismissed, symptoms being minimized, or concerns being attributed to non-medical factors.
Social determinants of health—including housing instability, food insecurity, transportation challenges, and economic stress—create additional layers of complexity. When a pregnant woman is worried about keeping the lights on or finding safe housing, focusing on prenatal vitamins and regular check-ups becomes secondary to survival.
Research shows that 30% of Black women report experiencing mistreatment during maternity care, including being shouted at, scolded, or having their requests for help ignored.
Enrich Health's Culturally Competent Care Model
Racially concordant and/or culturally sensitive care
At the heart of Enrich Health's transformative approach is our commitment to racically concordant care and/or culturally sensitive care.. Research consistently shows that when patients receive care from providers who share their racial and cultural background, outcomes improve dramatically. This isn't just about representation—it's about building the trust and understanding necessary for effective healthcare delivery.
Our Black-led team understands the unique experiences and concerns that Black women bring to their maternal healthcare journey. We recognize the historical trauma associated with medical institutions, the ongoing impact of discrimination, and the cultural factors that influence health decisions.
Racially concordant and/or culturally sensitive care helps reduce implicit bias in clinical decision-making. When providers share similar backgrounds with their patients, they're more likely to listen carefully to concerns, validate experiences, and advocate effectively within the healthcare system. This creates an environment where Black women feel heard, respected, and empowered to make informed decisions about their care.
Community-Based Prenatal & Group Care
Traditional prenatal care often follows a one-size-fits-all model that may not address the specific needs of Black families. Enrich Health's community-based approach transforms prenatal care from isolated medical appointments into supportive community experiences that foster peer connections and shared learning.
Our group prenatal care model, inspired by evidence-based programs like CenteringPregnancy, brings expecting mothers together for longer appointment sessions that combine clinical care with education and peer support. These sessions create space for women to share experiences, ask questions they might not feel comfortable asking in individual appointments, and build relationships that extend beyond pregnancy.
The community-based approach also means that care extends beyond the clinic walls. We understand that effective maternal care must address the whole person and their environment, which is why our services are designed to integrate seamlessly with community resources and support systems.
Doula and Midwifery Integration
Enrich Health recognizes that the traditional medical model, while essential, isn't always sufficient for optimal maternal outcomes. That's why we've integrated doula and midwifery services into our comprehensive care model, providing continuous support that bridges medical care with emotional and physical advocacy. Doulas play a particularly crucial role in our model. They serve as cultural bridges, helping navigate healthcare systems while providing culturally relevant support and advocacy. Research shows that doula support can significantly improve outcomes for Black mothers, reducing cesarean rates, decreasing labor length, and improving overall satisfaction with the birth experience—outcomes that are particularly significant for Black families who face higher rates of medical interventions.
Our midwifery integration ensures that low-risk pregnancies have access to provider-led care that emphasizes natural processes while maintaining medical oversight. This approach respects the birthing process while ensuring that complications are identified and addressed promptly.
Comprehensive Services at Enrich Health
Prenatal Care in CT
Enrich Health's prenatal care in Connecticut goes far beyond routine check-ups. We provide personalized birth planning that honors each family's preferences while ensuring medical safety. Our risk management approach is proactive rather than reactive, identifying potential complications early and developing comprehensive plans to address them.
Every prenatal care plan is developed collaboratively with patients, ensuring that their values, concerns, and preferences are central to all decisions. We spend time discussing birth preferences, addressing fears and anxieties, and providing education that empowers families to make informed choices throughout their pregnancy journey.
Our Connecticut-based clinics are designed to feel welcoming and culturally affirming, with staff who understand the unique experiences of Black families in our state. We've worked to eliminate common barriers to care, including flexible scheduling, extended appointment times, and comprehensive support services.
Postpartum Care
The postpartum period is often called the "fourth trimester," yet it's frequently under-supported in traditional healthcare models. Enrich Health extends comprehensive support well beyond delivery, recognizing that maternal health outcomes depend heavily on the quality of postpartum care.
Our postpartum services include regular check-ins for both physical and emotional health, comprehensive screening for postpartum depression and anxiety, and contraceptive counseling that respects each family's reproductive goals. We understand that the postpartum period can be particularly challenging for Black women, who face higher rates of postpartum mood disorders and often have less access to support services.
Extended support is built into our model, with check-ins continuing throughout the first year postpartum. This extended timeline allows us to identify and address complications that might not appear immediately after delivery, ensuring that both mother and baby continue to thrive long after leaving the hospital.
Lactation Support
Breastfeeding is deeply personal, and cultural factors significantly influence a family's feeding decisions. Enrich Health provides culturally respectful lactation support that honors family preferences while providing evidence-based guidance on infant feeding.
Our lactation consultants understand the unique challenges that Black mothers may face with breastfeeding, including lack of workplace support, cultural barriers, and limited access to lactation resources. We work to address these barriers while providing practical, non-judgmental support that meets families where they are.
Lactation support extends beyond the immediate postpartum period, with ongoing check-ins and troubleshooting as mothers return to work or encounter feeding challenges. This comprehensive approach helps ensure that families who choose to breastfeed have the support they need to meet their goals.
Local Collaborations
Enrich Health is building strong partnerships with community organizations throughout Connecticut, creating a network of support that extends our reach and impact. These collaborations will allow us to address social determinants of health while leveraging existing community strengths and resources.
Local collaborations also help us stay connected to community needs and preferences, ensuring that our services remain relevant and responsive to the families we serve. Community input shapes our program development and helps us identify emerging needs and opportunities.
Advocacy, Policy & Future Directions
Legislative Engagement
Enrich Health is actively engaged in policy advocacy to address systemic barriers to maternal health equity. We support legislation like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which would provide comprehensive federal investment in addressing maternal health disparities.
We also advocate for Medicaid expansion and extension of postpartum coverage beyond the traditional 60-day period. Connecticut has made progress in extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, and we continue to advocate for policies that improve access to comprehensive maternal care.
Our advocacy efforts are informed by the experiences of the families we serve, ensuring that policy recommendations address real barriers and challenges faced by Black mothers and families. We regularly participate in legislative hearings, policy briefings, and community forums to ensure that the voices of Black families are centered in policy discussions.
Scaling the Model
The success of Enrich Health's model has generated interest in replication and scaling to reach more families throughout Connecticut and beyond. We're actively working on pipeline programs to increase the number of Black healthcare providers specializing in maternal health.
Our scaling efforts focus on maintaining the core elements that make our model effective—culturally competent care, community integration, and comprehensive services—while adapting to different community contexts and needs. We provide training and technical assistance to other healthcare organizations interested in implementing similar approaches.
Workforce diversity remains a key component of our scaling strategy. We support scholarship programs for Black medical and nursing students, provide mentorship opportunities, and create pathways for community members to enter healthcare careers. Building a diverse healthcare workforce is essential for ensuring that all families have access to culturally competent care.
Conclusion
The transformation of maternal care for Black families requires more than individual excellence—it demands systemic change rooted in equity, cultural competence, and community partnership. Enrich Health's comprehensive model demonstrates that when we center Black women's experiences and needs, we can achieve remarkable improvements in both health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
If you're expecting or planning to become pregnant, you deserve care that honors your experiences, respects your preferences, and provides comprehensive support throughout your journey to motherhood. The disparities in maternal health outcomes are not inevitable—they're the result of systemic failures that can be addressed through better models of care.
We invite you to learn more about our comprehensive approach and discover how Enrich Health is working to transform Black maternal care in Connecticut. Together, we can ensure that every family has access to the high-quality, culturally competent care they deserve, creating healthier outcomes for mothers, babies, and entire communities.
