From a Place of Love: The Experiences of Birthing in a Black-Owned Culturally-Centered Community Birth Center.

Introduction: Racial and ethnic disparities in perinatal health outcomes are among the greatest threats to population health in the United States. Black birthing communities are most impacted by these inequities due to structural racism throughout society and within health care settings. Although multiple studies have shown that structural racism and the disrespect associated with this system of inequity are the root causes of observed perinatal inequities, little scholarship has centered the needs of Black birthing communities to create alternative care models.

The Power of Community Voices for Enhancing Community Health Needs Assessments.

As required by the Affordable Care Act, Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) are formalized processes nonprofit hospitals must perform at least every 3 years. CHNAs are designed to help hospitals better tailor health services to the needs of local residents. However, CHNAs most often use quantitative, population-level data, and rarely incorporate the actual voices of local community members.

Implementing a Community-Driven Research Partnership: The Backyard Initiative Community Health Survey Methods and Approach.

Background: In community-based participatory research (CBPR), issues such as creating a setting where community members drive decisions and creating culturally relevant processes remain largely underachieved. The Backyard Initiative (BYI) provided the setting for implementing a community-centered collaborative research process. The BYI is a partnership between Allina Health, the Cultural Wellness Center (CWC), and community residents to improve health.