JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A group on the First Coast that provides services to mothers and their babies is bringing attention to the data related to maternal deaths.
The Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition is highlighting those numbers, and racial disparities in healthcare, specifically this week: Black Maternal Health Week.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in the United States.
Faye Johnson, CEO of the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition, said several factors impact those numbers, including toxic stress, not having proper nutrition and housing issues.
Johnson is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation that would expand postpartum coverage for mothers.
"It's not only up to the woman per se, but it's also all of us coming in and trying to make lives better or different, less stressful in all areas," Johnson said. "That takes all of us in the community, whether it be from businesses to government to grassroots, it takes all of that to improve the outcomes."
Northeast Florida Healthy Start is holding a food giveaway Thursday as part of Black Maternal Health Week. It is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Magnolia Project located at 5316 North Pearl Street.