2024
Black Maternal Health
Conference

April 11, 2024
8:30 am - 3:00 PM
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Conference Center

Respectful Maternity Simulation - April 18 Solidarity Walk - April 20

On April 11, 2024, in support of National Black Maternal Health Week, Care Ring along with Presenting Sponsor Novant Health and event partner Mecklenburg County, hosted its inaugural educational conference for birthing professionals and families in Charlotte, NC. The overarching theme of the conference was "Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Improving Black Maternal Health."

The conference was a huge success, attracting over 300 attendees from across the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region and across multiple professional disciplines. Event partner Atrium Health sponsored the education accreditation fees. Keep reading for full conference coverage.

Opening Session: The State of Black Maternal Health

The conference was kicked off with an original, powerful, and poignant spoken-word performance by local artist Erica Truesdale.

Care Ring CEO Tchernavia Montgomery (left) spoke about why Care Ring, which serves over 1,000 birthing families each year through its two maternal-child health programs, decided to host the conference. Care Ring Board of Directors Co-Chair Andrea Wages (right) thanked our sponsors, event partners, conference education accreditation team, planning committee, and others who helped to make the event happen. Andrea also introduced the video remarks from event partner US Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD, which you can view below.

US Department of Health & Human Services Regional Director Antrell Tyson Esq. gave remarks on the necessity of education and action around the Black maternal health crisis and how the Biden administration is investing in programs and initiatives to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.

Belinda Pettiford (left), Section Chief of Public Health at the NC Department of Health & Human Services, gave remarks on the current data around Black maternal and infant health and mortality in our state, how that data is collected and reviewed, and how it is informing interventions and their 2022-2026 Perinatal Health Strategic Plan.

Dr. Raynard Washington (right), Health Director for Mecklenburg County, talked about local initiatives and partnerships, like the one between the County and Care Ring's A Guided Journey program, which provides a free Community Health Worker to pregnant and post-partum women living in poverty in under-resourced areas.

Morning Breakout Sessions

After the conclusion of our Opening Session, conference attendees adjourned to attend their morning breakout session, which they selected at registration.

Lunch Session: Presenting Sponsor Remarks, Panel Discussion & IMPACT Awards

Heather Robertson White, MD (left), who is an Inpatient Care Specialist in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Novant Health, gave remarks on behalf of them as Presenting Sponsor. Dr. White is also a member of the Care Ring Board of Directors, and assisted with the organizing of speakers for the conference. Afterwards, she assisted in drawing our first of two door prizes for the day, a copy of The Practical Playbook, as well as The Practical Playbook Volume 3, which details strategies and studies which address the Black maternal health crisis. UNC-Charlotte student Hala Khabir (right), who also participated in the Student Poster Session and helped to develop our "Fast Facts on Black Maternal Health" table cards, was the winner.

Our Panel discussion, whose theme was the same as our conference, "Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Improving Black Maternal Health," was lead by Twylla Dillion (left), PhD, MBA with HealthConnect One.

Panelists were (right hand photo), from left to right: Desi McKoy, LCMHC with Care Ring; Elisabeth Pordes, MD, MPH with Mecklenburg County Public Health; Kenyona Oni, MD, IBCLC, FAACP with Novant Health; Jonisha Brown, MD, MPH, FAACP with BirthRight NC and Atrium Health; Yhenneko Taylor, PhD with Atrium Health; Antonia Mead, PhD, MCHES with Johnson C. Smith University; Lugenia Grider, LCCE, CBS with Novant Health and QC Cocoa Beans; and Racquel Washington, MA with Atrium Health and The Queen's Collective Birthing.

Our panel discussion was followed by the presentation of two maternal health IMPACT (Innovating Maternal Programming and Advancing Communities Together) Awards.

Felicia Barnes, who serves on the Care Ring Board of Directors and is a graduate of our Nurse-Family Partnership program, presented the awards to Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD and her staff for their tireless efforts on working to advance the "Momnibus Act," a collection of 13 federal bills which would create investments in social determinants of health, like housing transportation and nutrition; extending WIC and postpartum service eligibility, growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, and improving maternal care for incarcerated moms just to name a few. Accepting the award on the Congresswoman's behalf was Lo'an Lake, her Communications Director.

The second award was presented to Mecklenburg County, for their investments in the A Guided Journey program, for their award of a portion of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to our Nurse-Family Partnership program, and their work on the Prenatal to Three Strategic Plan. Accepting the award on behalf of the County was Dr. Raynard Washington.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

After the conclusion of our Lunch Session, conference attendees adjourned to attend their afternoon breakout session, which they selected at registration.

Closing Session: Sponsor Remarks, Student Poster Awards, Impact Speaker

Our Closing Session was kicked off with remarks from top sponsor UnitedHealthcare, by Lori Parsons, RN, BSN, CCM. She highlighted UHC's pregnancy Medicaid program, which pays for doula services. After her remarks, she drew our second door prize, donated by UHC, which was a $100 restaurant gift card and branded UHC merchandise.

Next up were our Student Poster Session awards. The Student Poster Session was an opportunity for college students throughout the area to present their research on Black maternal health. There were seven participants, who each spoke to a team of judges about their research and were graded using a special scoring rubric.

Dr. Lorenzo Hopper, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences at UNC-Charlotte, presented the awards and he and his team helped to organize the student submissions. First Place (blue ribbon) went to UNCC student Chelse Spinner, who recently earned her PhD. Second Place went to UNCC student Haley Cooper (red ribbon), and Third Place went to UNCC student Mariah Quinn (gold ribbon).

Our other student poster participants were: Precious Ikejiaku, Hala Khabir, Leslie Morrow, and Jayla Worsley.

Thank you also to our judges, who were from the Greater Charlotte American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the Charlotte Chapter of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE): Joseph Stewart, MHA, RRT; Caroline Hohensee, PhD; Gwyndolan Swain, DHA, MBA, MHA, BSN; and Zachary Myers, MHA. ACHE and NAHSE also provided our gift card prizes.

Our Impact Speaker was Tomeka Isaac, MBA, MHRA, CAMS, Founder of Jace's Journey. Tomeka shared her very personal birthing story of losing her son Jace in utero as well as very nearly losing her own life due to undiagnosed HELLP Syndrome. Tomeka shared that after her ordeal in the hospital, she learned that even though she was at an elevated risk for preeclampsia due to her age, her doctors never took a urine sample throughout her

pregnancy — a routine test that could have helped identify her condition. High protein levels in her urine could have revealed the complication and led to better — and earlier — intervention. “When we realized that, I was mortified,” Isaac recalled. “I was so devastated.” She went on to say “I had the resources. I had the access. I had the education. I went to every single appointment to leave that hospital without my son. That trauma brought me here.” (Thank you Rachel Crumpler at NC Health News for capturing audio of Tomeka's speech and her coverage of the event, a portion of which is quoted here).

Other Highlights: Patient Stories, Sponsor/Partner Expo, Educational Art Display, DJ Sunday

In the course of planning the conference, Care Ring received real-life stories from women in our community who had harrowing near-death experiences related to their pregnancies. With permission, these stories were shared on placards displayed on dining tables. One contributor, TR, also shared a current photo of her with her son, and is involved with the Pre-Eclampsia Foundation. Our other two contributors were able to join us for the conference and found some healing from being able to share their stories with others. We thank all our contributors for sharing their stories to help spread awareness.

We had 23 of our Corporate Champions (sponsors) and community partners/nonprofit organizations who participated in our Expo, giving away merchandise and valuable information about their maternal health services or resources. (pictured: Mecklenburg County Public Health, Healthy Blue NC, and NC Child).

Care Ring partnered with local artist Chimere Neal, who is also a LCSW with Atrium Health, to create an educational art bust display. Each bust represented a different aspect of Black maternal health, accompanied by a placard of information. Special thanks also to Care Ring's Blanca Labrada and their maternal-child health teams for assisting with the creation and display of the busts.

Another educational touch point for guests were the Black Maternal Health "Fast Facts" table cards that UNC Charlotte student Hala Khabir designed and put together. Guests scanned the cards' QR code to read the facts.

CHECK OUT THE FAST FACTS.

Music for the conference during our networking and lunch sessions, as well as to assist main stage speakers as they entered and exited the stage was provided by DJ Sunday Shobowale. Sunday is also a Community Health Worker at our mobile health unit, The Bridge.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Thank you to our media partners for their interest and coverage of the event.

WSOC's Deneige Broom interviewed one of our maternal child health clients, CEO Tchernavia Montgomery, and Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington and took some video of the conference. WFAE's Elvis Menayese reported on the conference, as did NC Health News's Rachel Crumpler, who also shared some important national and state statistics in her article. Click the photos to view or read the stories.

PHOTO GALLERY

Event photos by Michelle Murchison Photography.
Click on a photo to enlarge.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

presenting sponsor

More Sponsors Here

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT PARTNERS

US Congresswoman
Alma S. Adams, PhD

County Seal with Public Health designation Blue

OTHER BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH EVENTS

On April 18th, Care Ring partnered with UNC-Charlotte's Dept. of Public Health Sciences and First TEAM America to bring a Respectful Maternity Care Simulator to Charlotte. Sixty providers and students participated.

On April 20th, Care Ring hosted a Black Maternal Health Solidarity Walk at Marshall Park in Charlotte, NC to raise awareness of the crisis and bring together changemakers and members of the community. Special thanks to Jonisha Brown, MD and LaChelle Davis-Moore, MBA, C.PhT for their extensive work to organize the walk.

Community Health Worker Carolyn Hyatt with her A Guided Journey client, her child, and mother

Learn about Care Ring's "A Guided Journey" program

A Nurse-Family Partnership client and her child at program graduation

Learn about Care Ring's "Nurse-Family Partnership" program

If you have any questions about this event,
or would like to get involved in next year's Conference, please contact [email protected].

2024 Black Maternal Health Conference

April 11, 2024 8:30 am - 3:00 PM Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Conference Center Respectful Maternity Simulation - April 18 Solidarity Walk - April 20