Introduction: Maternal morbidity and mortality are urgent public health crises, disproportionately affecting Black and Latina women. In response to the rising rates of preventable maternal deaths and structural barriers faced by Black and Brown birthing people in Central Texas, we came together as perinatal providers and birth workers in Central Texas to form the Maternal Health Equity Collaborative (MHEC) in 2020. Methods: In this article, we describe the MHEC, an innovative approach to understanding and expanding reproductive services and support that improve perinatal health. The MHEC includes five birth and parenting organizations (Black Mamas ATX, Healing Hands Community Birthing Project, Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, Partners in Parenting, and Giving Austin Labor Support) and community members to support and uplift Black and Brown birthing communities. The MHEC is grounded in evidence-based, person-centered care services and utilizes the Perinatal Safe Spot and Reproductive Justice frameworks to address social and structural determinants of health. These frameworks emphasize bodily autonomy, dignity, and community-driven care to guide the MHEC’s program design, collaborative structure, and culturally congruent perinatal support. Discussion: This article reviews the historical and social context that necessitates collaborative perinatal care, highlights the strengths of establishing a regional collaborative, and details the major achievements and ongoing projects by the MHEC. Through strategic funding, cross-organizational data sharing, and a deep commitment to reproductive justice, the MHEC advances perinatal health equity in Central Texas to offer a transformational model. We provide a scalable model that can empower reproductive justice and birth organizations in the south and nationwide.
Blake et al. (Thu,) studied this question.