Tags: Black maternal health, health disparities, DEI programs, public health funding, pregnancy care, Santa Clara County
A Mother’s Experience Highlights Larger Systemic Issues
When Eboni Tomasek gave birth to her son Ezekiel in a San Jose hospital, she expected to return home the next day. Instead, she and her newborn remained for several uncertain nights, with inconsistent explanations from hospital staff. At one point, she was told Ezekiel had jaundice—then that he didn’t. Her questions were met with vague reassurances, and she feared she was being mistaken for another African American patient. Most of all, she wondered why no one would clearly tell her what was happening.
Worried and increasingly stressed—aware that heightened blood pressure poses serious risks for Black women postpartum—Tomasek turned to the one person who consistently supported her: her caseworker from Santa Clara County’s Black Infant Health program.
“She helped me stay calm,” Tomasek said. “She’d been tracking my health through the pregnancy and knew how to support me.”
Programs That Save Lives
Santa Clara County’s Black Infant Health program, alongside its Perinatal Equity Initiative, was established to address the alarming racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Since 2000, around 14,000 families have benefited from these services, which provide caseworkers, home visits from nurses, developmental screenings, and group support sessions to help mothers manage the effects of systemic racism on their health.
Data from 2024 shows that these programs have led to a 30% reduction in maternal hypertension among enrolled women and an increase in the detection of other potentially life-threatening conditions. The programs’ success underscores their role in protecting Black mothers and babies in a system that often overlooks them.
California’s statistics reflect the urgency: Black women in the state are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Nationally, Black infants face the highest rates of preterm births and infant mortality.
DEI Under Fire: Political Threats to Funding
Despite strong outcomes, these programs face an uncertain future due to federal policy changes. Anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) sentiment at the federal level has targeted initiatives designed to address race-specific health disparities. Under current leadership, there’s been a call to eliminate all equity-focused funding, including grants supporting the Santa Clara programs.
While Santa Clara County has received most of its expected funding for the current fiscal year, officials remain unsure how much of the remaining money will come through—or whether funding will continue in the future. Cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are threatening to reduce over $11 million in public health support for underserved communities in the region.
These developments are not isolated. Similar programs in other states have already lost millions in funding, prompting fears of worsening outcomes. Angela Aina, cofounder of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, warns that without this support, “we will likely see an increase in deaths.”
A Fragile Path Forward
Many organizations focused on Black maternal health now find themselves in a state of limbo. Federal employees connected to the funding process are reportedly restricted in what they can communicate, leaving grant recipients and advocates without clarity.
Tonya Robinson, program manager for Black Infant Health, remains committed despite the political challenges. “Our program is working,” she said. “It empowers women, helps them recognize discrimination, and teaches them how to manage the stress that comes from structural racism.”
Her team continues to move forward, modeling calm strength for the mothers they support.
A Longstanding Crisis, Now in the Spotlight
The disparity in maternal outcomes between Black and white women in America has existed for more than a century. But widespread attention didn’t emerge until recent years, especially after public testimonies from figures like Beyoncé and Serena Williams brought visibility to the issue.
Federal recognition came in 2021 with the establishment of Black Maternal Health Week. The 2024 presidential proclamation emphasized how Black women are often ignored or dismissed in health care settings—even when they face life-threatening complications.
Tomasek’s own story mirrors this pattern. After three days in the hospital and the support of her caseworker, she finally learned her high blood pressure had delayed her discharge. She believes that, had she been white, she would have received that information sooner.
“I feel like they were being racist,” she said. Fortunately, the tools she gained from Black Infant Health helped her de-stress, stabilize her health, and return home safely with Ezekiel.
The Need for Race-Conscious Solutions
Experts like Dr. Jamila Perritt, an OB-GYN and leader in maternal health advocacy, stress that racial disparities in maternal outcomes are deeply rooted and systemic. Addressing them requires programs that specifically serve the needs of Black women.
“These are race-bound conditions,” Perritt said. “We can’t afford to be race-blind in our policies if we want to solve them.”
The uncertain future of these life-saving programs underscores a broader dilemma: whether the nation will continue to invest in targeted health interventions or allow politics to undermine progress.
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