What is the BEST Allegheny initiative?
The Allegheny County Health Department’s Maternal and Child Health’s Infant Mortality Collaborative and Healthy Start’s Healthy Baby Zone are merged in 2020 to form the BEST (Advancing Birth Equity Strategies Together) Allegheny initiative. The BEST Allegheny initiative is an intensive project that received national designation and technical assistance CityMatCH.
Our activities include:
- Engaging in place-based programming and policy development for Wilkinsburg
- Using an equity framework to analyze existing policies and practices to inform and implement change.
- Uplifting community as experts in maternal and child health to identify and lead processes
CityMatCH is a national membership organization of city and county health departments’ maternal and child health (MCH) programs and leaders representing urban communities in the United States. The mission of CityMatCH is to strengthen public health leaders and organizations to promote equity and improve the health of urban women, families, and communities.
Best Babies Zone (BBZ) puts life course theory into practice, taking a place-based approach to reducing infant mortality by aligning resources, building community leadership, and transforming educational opportunities, economic development, and community systems in concentrated neighborhoods. (Pies, Barr, et. al)
What is the Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes (Equity Institute)?
The Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes (Equity Institute) is a national initiative designed to strengthen the scientific focus and evidence base for realizing equity in birth outcomes in urban U.S. cities. During a two-year span, selected teams headed by CityMatCH member health departments will participate and receive training to support them as they select, implement, and evaluate an equity-focused project.
BEST Allegheny Partners
Community Members
- Healthy Start, Inc. Pittsburgh
- Allegheny County Health Department-Family and Child Health
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
- Women For a Healthy Environment
- Trying Together
- Cribs for Kids
- New Voices for Reproductive Justice
- WIC
