Translating place for healthcare providers working with vulnerable women and children

Alarmed by persistently high infant mortality rates and gaping disparities in health outcomes for the region, the CEOs of four major health systems in metropolitan Detroit committed their organizations to finding sustainable and collaborative solutions. In 2008, they commissioned the Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force with the mission of developing a plan of action to collaboratively and measurably reduce infant mortality in our region, setting a bar for unprecedented, new and sustainable levels of regional partnership. Working through this unconventional public-private partnership of Detroit’s major health systems, public health, academic and community partners, Sew Up the Safety Net for Women and Children, later rebranded as Women-Inspired Neighborhood (WIN) Network: Detroit, aims to tighten a loose net of disconnected medical and social services, thereby building a comprehensive, accountable system of care that will engage the residents of three Detroit neighborhoods to improve the conditions that lead to infant survival through the first year of life. Lessons learned include: 1) engage multi-sector collaborators; 2) listen to the women we serve (both program participants and CHW voices); 3) stay tuned in to what else is going on in professional and community spheres; and 4) constantly evolve. The challenges include: understanding women’s framework for pursuing success; need to find additional funding for social marketing campaign; balancing act of keeping the program up-and-running while constantly troubleshooting; policy and systems level changes; engaging business and education stakeholders; keeping engagement up with high-level partners.