West Side Healthy Parents and Babies
Program Overview
West Side Healthy Parents and Babies is a maternal and infant health initiative spearheaded by West Side United to address stark disparities in birth outcomes on Chicago’s West Side. The program focuses on improving maternal health, infant survival, and early childhood development by providing comprehensive support to expecting and new parents in neighborhoods that have long experienced high rates of infant mortality, preterm birth, and health inequities.
This initiative takes a holistic, community-based approach, integrating medical care, social services, mental health support, and peer navigation to ensure families receive the wraparound care they need. The program is designed to build trust with families, reduce health system barriers, and center culturally responsive care.
Key Partners and Impacts
Key partners in the West Side Healthy Parents and Babies initiative include:
Lurie Children’s Hospital, who delivers care coordination for enrollees across services, connecting participants with resources.
Community-based organizations that specialize in maternal health, parent education, doula support, and mental health.
Funders who provide resources to scale evidence-based programs that reduce disparities in birth outcomes.
Impacts of the program include:
Expanded access to prenatal and postnatal care for Black and Brown mothers, helping reduce complications and mortality.
Increased availability of doulas and community health workers, who provide culturally aligned guidance and advocacy throughout the perinatal period.
Connections to mental health and social supports, including housing, nutrition, and early childhood services.
The program also emphasizes data tracking and impact evaluation, enabling continuous improvement and accountability for outcomes such as birth weight, preterm births, maternal mental health, and infant development.
Long-Term Vision
The long-term vision for West Side Healthy Parents and Babies is to transform maternal and infant health outcomes across the West Side by building a permanent, community-rooted care infrastructure. This includes:
Scaling services across multiple neighborhoods and ensuring continuity of care from pregnancy through early childhood.
Shifting healthcare systems to prioritize equity and cultural competence in maternal care.
Advocating for systems change and policy reform, including Medicaid reimbursement for doulas and mental health support.
Ultimately, West Side United aims to make high-quality, culturally respectful, and fully accessible maternal and child healthcare the norm rather than the exception for families on the West Side—creating a healthier start for every baby and a stronger foundation for every family.
