Westchester County recently held its third Birth Equity Town Hall at the Westchester County Center. The event, part of the Birth Equity Improvement Project, was organized by County Executive Ken Jenkins in collaboration with Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, the Westchester County Department of Health, Office for Women, and the Women’s Advisory Board.
The town hall aims to address disparities in maternal health and promote equitable birth outcomes through cooperation, data sharing, and community involvement.
Jenkins emphasized the importance of ensuring equitable care for mothers and babies: “Ensuring that every mother and baby receives equitable, high-quality care is one of the most urgent challenges facing our community. Together with Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson and our dedicated County departments, we are committed to pushing the needle forward on birth equity — because the health of families is the foundation of a thriving Westchester.”
Williams Johnson highlighted ongoing challenges faced by mothers, particularly Black and Brown women: “Whether we frame it as birth equity or respectful maternal healthcare, the truth remains: too many mothers—especially Black and Brown women—are still fighting to be heard, treated with dignity, and to safely bring life into this world. This work is deeply personal to me.”
The participation of Northern Westchester Hospital and Montefiore New Rochelle in this series marks progress towards greater transparency and systemic change.
Dr. Sherlita Amler from the Westchester County Department of Health underscored maternal health equity as a public health issue: “Maternal and child health equity is a critical public health issue. Black and Brown women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.”
Robi Schlaff from the Westchester County Office for Women noted improvements in maternal health outcomes due to county efforts: “With the commitment of the County Executive and the County Department of Health, the gap in maternal health outcomes for birthing mothers in the County is narrowing.”
