Calling All Sectors: Cross-Sector State Initiatives to Address Maternal and Infant Health

Full Description: In 2019, the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts launched Calling All Sectors: State Agencies Joined for Health - an initiative to forge lasting cross-sector collaborations among 10 state interagency teams and community nonprofits to develop upstream approaches to improving maternal and infant health and well-being. By combining resources and expertise from multiple agencies—including governmental departments of health, housing and urban development, human services, child and family services, and education—and from local community groups, this effort aims to help state and local leaders more effectively address maternal and infant health inequities. This includes, for example, innovative approaches to aligning and providing adequate access to family support services and safe and affordable housing; policy and systems changes to improve health equity and inclusion practices in government contracting, data collection, care coordination, and community engagement; and new or stronger community partnerships that simultaneously address data sharing and access to health programs and services.

This initiative has created the “place and space” for participating groups to develop what it takes to create lasting culture and infrastructure change so that cross-sector approaches become the norm. For example, having these cross-sector teams in place enhanced their response to COVID-19, accelerating their ability to identify and meet the needs of families, connect them to services, and address health equity. Throughout the pandemic, teams have continued to engage communities, facilitated virtual focus groups and classes, strengthened transparency and the flow of information among partners and with communities, and implemented program, policy, and practice changes in response to emerging community needs.

The workshop session will provide an overview of the initiative goals, partners, and activities, highlighting reflections to date from the Health Impact Project and at least two cross-sector state teams about what’s working to address maternal and infant health systems and health equity. The session will focus on how state teams are engaging stakeholders both within and outside the public health and health care systems, examining cross-sector solutions, developing and using data, and strengthening government and community partnerships.

Learning objectives for this session:
1. Describe the “Calling All Sectors” initiative goals, partners, and activities.
2. Facilitate participant discussion about the state of cross-sector partnerships to address maternal and infant health in attendees’ communities and organizations.
3. Identify how cross-sector collaborations in a specific initiative can serve as a blueprint that aligns systems and incentives for future efforts to tackle complex public health challenges.

Abbreviated Description: In 2019, the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, launched an initiative to forge lasting cross-sector collaborations among ten state multiagency and community nonprofit teams to develop upstream solutions for maternal and infant health and well-being. Teams have focused their efforts on aligning policy and programs, incorporating equity tools in decision-making processes, and establishing new or stronger community partnerships that address access to health programs and services. The workshop session will provide an overview of the initiative and examine stakeholder engagement, cross-sector solutions, and efforts to strengthen government and community partnerships.

*Note: This presentation displays an error in the 2020 infant mortality rate for the District of Columbia. The correct rate is 4.5 per 1,000 live births according to reporting from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.