The launch will feature the screening of the HHS Office of Minority Health’s (OMH) new 30-minute documentary A Healthy Baby Begins with You – College Students Tackle Infant Mortality Disparities, produced by OMH national campaign spokesperson Tonya Lewis Lee.  Much of the documentary was filmed in Memphis and captures efforts spearheaded by OMH and a band of dedicated health care professionals in Shelby County to combat infant mortality.  Mayor Wharton and his staff worked closely with Lee and her crew during their week-long crusade in Shelby County during the month of May.

In 2005, the Commercial Appeal published a series of articles on the rate of infant mortality in Shelby County that brought awareness to the disparities in birth outcomes. Mayor Wharton and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen responded immediately and continued the momentum created by the Commercial Appeal by hosting a local “call to action” Infant Mortality Summit.  The summit resulted in a Core Leadership Group comprised of key decision makers representing the fields of healthcare, academia, social services and government. The Core Leadership Group was formed to discuss plans, progress and programs for infant mortality reduction in Shelby County.

Today, the Shelby County Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative, under the banner All Babies Count, is the leader in a comprehensive coalition of local infant mortality reduction agencies.  With programs such as the March of Dimes Community Voice that provides educational workshops to the community in the areas of preconception, healthy diet, and lifestyle changes; and Centering Pregnancy, a clinic-based program for pregnant mothers to receive prenatal care in a social network or group setting, Shelby County is aggressively working to increase positive local birth outcomes.

“While we dare not rest on our laurels or the progress we have made, I would not be candid if I didn’t express pride in our team and the aggressive measures and collaborative efforts we have continued to advance,” said Mayor Wharton.  “Since the summit I hosted with Governor Bredesen three years ago, we have been in the trenches – in living rooms and dens, community centers, churches and barber shops across this community – sharing lifesaving information with expectant and new mothers.  We’ve made significant steps, but we are not satisfied and we won’t be until every parent can see their child make it to their first birthday.”

Recently, Wharton and Bredesen announced the formation of a Fetal Infant Mortality Review team in Shelby County. The FIMR team will explore environmental, social, economic and medical factors to determine the exact cause of death of children less than a year-old. The goal of the FMIR program is to reduce fetal and infant deaths – in addition to enhance perinatal and women’s health systems and services while improving the health of infants and families.

Mayor Wharton will join Lee, Tom Joyner Morning Show Commentator and BET Journalist Jeff Johnson and HHS leaders during the official launch of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month and documentary screening. The video documents the HHS/OMH “A Healthy Baby Begins with You” peer education campaign on infant mortality and preconception health. The program utilizes college students to speak about everyday healthy living to male and female students well before they think about bringing pregnancy and children into their lives.

 

# # #