HEAL Annual Summit 2023
ABOUT THE ANNUAL SUMMIT 2023
The Health Equity Alliance (HEAL) of Tarrant County hosted their annual summit on September 12 at the Hurst Conference Center. The summit presented cutting-edge research on maternal and infant health equity and the role of quality care and community. In addition, the event provided a stage to exchange innovative ideas and stories through presentations and poster presentations, while uplifting families and communities as changemakers and leaders. The theme was: Ensuring Equity in Perinatal and Infant Health: A Summit for Action.
This was the first sold-out event for the organization! Over 100 attendees from different professional backgrounds in maternal and infant health participated, including medical students from local universities. Continuing education units (CEUs) were offered for health care and public care professionals, including physicians, midwives, nurses, and community health workers. The event had 6 community vendors, 11 speakers, and 11 abstract poster presentations that participated to share resources and research within the work. The Early Learning Alliance (ELA) was a proud partner and sponsor for this event. Our project manager, Rebecca Rueda, currently serves on the board as Events & Education chair, and she was the lead organizer for the last two summits.
Through presentations, attendees walked away with information and action steps to create more equitable health outcomes for mothers and infants. The summit opened with the most current Tarrant County data regarding live births, infant deaths, and maternal health using local vital statistics data and comparing subpopulations within the community. This information was presented by Kristin McElroy, who is a Maternal Child Health Epidemiologist at Tarrant County Public Health. An ELA organization member, Center for Transforming Lives, conducted a panel presentation that discusses a report compiled in partnership with the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) on the health and well-being of women and children in Tarrant County. The data from the report highlighted statistics on maternal and infant mortality and social determinants of health. A second panel discussion took place led by the Tarrant County Birth Equity Collaborative. The panelists shared information on equity, organizational practices, as well as victories and challenges to community engagement. Lastly, the summit concluded with an interactive workshop led by Dr. Susan Wolfe, a community consultant, highlighting different types of actions to define and promote perinatal equity. The attendees had the opportunity to brainstorm and identify strategies that they could implement to promote equity.
The annual summit also had 11 abstracts for poster presentations from UNTHSC, AWBW Foundation, My Health My Resources (MHMR) of Tarrant County, Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, Maternal & Reproductive Health Equity Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington. At the same time, different organizations in Tarrant County participated as vendors to share resources and services within the community. Thank you to The Parent Pass, Fatherhood Coalition of Tarrant County, Amerigroup, MHMR of Tarrant County, Hispanic Wellness Coalition, and North Texas Area Community Health Centers for their participation.
A big shout to the planning committee, partners and sponsors for making this event possible:
Partners: MHMR of Tarrant, Tarrant County Public Health, Birth Equity Collaborative of Tarrant County, Cook Children’s, and the Early Learning Alliance
Sponsors: Amerigroup, MHMR of Tarrant County, Vivi Women’s Health, and the Early Learning Alliance
Planning Committee:
Rebecca Rueda, Chair, ELA
Rachel Bailey, Co-chair, MHMR of Tarrant County
Ilisa Mitchell, Community member
Brenda Smith, Community member
Marisol Veronesi, Tarrant County Public Health
Mathew Smith, Tarrant County Public Health
Lauren Butscheck-Neisler, Tarrant County Public Health
Kylie Woolridge, MHMR of Tarrant County
Princess Williams- Jarvis, MHMR of Tarrant County
Dr. Shanna Combs, TCU School of Medicine
Ashlyn Kinard, UNTHSC Texas Obstetrics and Gynecology Association of Students
Jessica Stewart, Cook Children’s
Amanda Mrstik, Cook Children’s
Jeanna Hosler, Cook Children’s
Dr. J'Vonnah Maryman, Tarrant County Birth Equity Collaborative
MOVING THE WORK FORWARD
HEAL is currently participating in the Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIRM) with Tarrant County Public Health to discuss and examine social economic, cultural, safety and health system factors associated with fetal and infant mortality in Tarrant County. In Tarrant County, the average number of cases reviewed by the FIRM Team annually are 24 stillbirths/ fetal deaths and 10 infant deaths. As FIRM participants, the goal is to help the community become expert in recommending local government policy changes and specific health interventions that will improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens, and better serve families and the community as a whole. HEAL is going to focus on two FIRM recommendations:
To identify gaps in preconception education that impacts youth in Tarrant County by hosting a roundtable discussion in Spring 2024.
To cultivate culturally and linguistically appropriate care through partnerships with local medical and public schools in order to provide education on preconception health, prenatal care, postpartum care throughout refugee programs and organizations.
ABOUT THE HEALTH EQUITY ALLIANCE OF TARRANT COUNTY
HEAL is a nonprofit network of public health experts, local agencies, and community leaders united to save babies and birthing people by making racial, economic and health equity a reality for more people across Tarrant County. To learn more, visit their website at: www.healtc.org
HEAL meets the first Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Lena Pope Amon Carter Center. To join their mailing list and/or learn more about their membership, please email: info@healtc.org
