Wisconsin Partnership Joins With Milwaukee Coalition to Fight Infant Mortality

Madison, Wisconsin - The Wisconsin Partnership Program (WPP) has endorsed efforts to improve birth outcomes among African-Americans in the state's largest city.

A broad community coalition - led by the Planning Council for Health and Human Services and the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee, and including more than 60 organizations - won approval for its $250,000 planning proposal from The Oversight and Advisory Committee of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The funds were awarded as part of the Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF), the Wisconsin Partnership Program's $10 million overall commitment to address infant mortality among African-Americans in Wisconsin.

From 2002 to 2006, Milwaukee County's infant mortality rate among African-Americans (17.3 deaths per 1,000 births) was three times the rate for white babies (5.8 per 1,000 births). Statewide during that period, the disparity was slightly larger.

"The size and complexity of Milwaukee requires a broad-based commitment from everyone in the community to address this public health emergency. We have that in Milwaukee," LIHF program leader Lorraine Lathen said.

The award will be used to set a course toward improving access to maternal and child health resources and tailoring community-specific action plans that use evidence-based practices to close the racial disparity in birth outcomes. Once a plan is in place, the coalition will present that to the Wisconsin Partnership Program for potential implementation awards.

The steering committee for Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families is led by Dr. Pat McManus of the Black Health Coalition and Dr. Ernestine Willis of the Medical College of Wisconsin. This group will guide the planning process and serve as promoters of the project within Milwaukee.

"I am thrilled with the team that has been assembled in Milwaukee. This is a good starting point for a great collaboration in Milwaukee," said Katherine Marks, co-chair of the LIHF steering committee and CEO and President of United Way of Kenosha County.

The Oversight and Advisory Committee has approved planning proposals from Racine, Kenosha, and Beloit as well.