City Looking to Hire in Black Infant Health Program

The City’s Public Health Department is seeking candidates for several roles with the Black Infant Health (BIH) program. 

For more than 30 years, BIH has helped pregnant and parenting women develop life skills, set and attain health goals, and learn strategies for managing stress. The focus is to address the large and persistent disparities in maternal and infant health that affect the African American birthing community and align with the Pasadena Public Health Department’s goal of ending health inequities and achieving healthy birth outcomes for Black women.

The health department is currently seeking a community outreach liaison, a family health advocate and a group facilitator. 

The program is intended to address the large and persistent disparities in maternal and infant health that affect the African American birthing community and align with the Pasadena Public Health Department goal of ending health inequities and achieving healthy birth outcomes for Black women and birthing people [i.e., people who don’t identify as cisgender women who are having a child]. 

The BIH program provides 10 prenatal and 10 postpartum group sessions covering a number of varying topics, including cultural heritage as a source of pride; healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery; nurturing ourselves and our babies; prenatal, postnatal, and newborn care; stress management; and healthy relationships. 

The program also provides client-centered life planning and one-on-one case management. 

Infant mortality rate is an important indicator of a population’s health, the quality of health care, and an essential tool for monitoring the health and well-being of infants, children, and families. 

In August, the City Council authorized the City Manager to amend an agreement with the County of Los Angeles concerning Black Infant Healthcare.

The amendment allows the City of Pasadena to accept and administer State of California grant funds to expand the Black Infant Health Program locally, within the County of Los Angeles Service Planning Area 3. 

In Los Angeles County, Black infants are more than twice as likely as White infants to die before reaching their first birthday. 

At the same time, preterm birth is one of the leading causes of infant death overall and highest among Black infants. In California, preterm births have increased for the third straight year. 

The Pasadena Public Health Department has sought opportunities to supplement the local program over the years. 

Through the current contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the BIH program provides services to women in the greater San Gabriel Valley including Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia, Arcadia, Duarte, South Pasadena, and Claremont.