Born Well

Using data to help direct efforts, the Born Well initiative focuses on the County residents facing the greatest disparities in birth outcomes, including Black mothers and babies.

Black mothers and babies face some of the highest rates of childbirth complications, pregnancy-related deaths, and early or low-weight births in San Diego, across California, and nationwide. These challenges put babies at greater risk for serious health problems at birth and long-term conditions later in life.

San Diego Foundation is joining local nonprofit organizations and the County’s Maternal Child and Family Health Services Branch that have for many years worked to improve health outcomes for mothers and newborns across the San Diego region. This San Diego Foundation initiative is called Born Well.

Every baby deserves a strong, healthy start, and every mother deserves safe, supportive care. Improving outcomes for mothers and babies is not just about health. It’s about equity, justice and building stronger, healthier communities for everyone.

Improving health outcomes for mothers and babies requires more than one sector working alone. Philanthropy, government, and nonprofits each bring unique strengths – resources, policy influence, and community trust – that, when combined, create real and lasting change.

Philanthropy can provide flexible funding and innovation, government can drive systemic policy solutions, and nonprofits ensure the voices and needs of mothers and families are at the center of the work. By collaborating, these partners can address the root causes of inequities, expand access to appropriate quality care, and build healthier, more equitable communities for all.

Philanthropy, government and nonprofits must work together to save lives, close gaps in care, and build equity in maternal and infant health. Health care professionals and organizations interested in making a positive impact can get involved by connecting with ongoing efforts in the San Diego region. Email [email protected] for opportunities to connect.

Your financial support helps drive innovation, advance policy and uplift the voices of families most impacted. Together, we can ensure every mother and baby has a healthy start – and a healthier future.

SDF and the County of San Diego Perinatal Equity Initiative in collaboration with the County’s Infant Health Program are working together to develop and implement a small pilot that will help us learn how access to unrestricted cash affects pregnancy and birth outcomes for women in very high-risk groups who are already receiving other supports.

There is a desire to learn how the guarantee of unrestricted income for a limited time can impact the health and well-being of the high-risk mom, baby and family.

SDF is using a data-driven approach to improve birth outcomes for women and children by letting the data identify where the highest risk and greatest need are, where the greatest health disparities are.

According to the California Department of Public Health, bias, social and economic stressors, and neighborhood conditions contribute to poor birth outcomes for Black mothers, birthing people, and infants. In California, and across the United States, Black mothers and birthing people experience some of the highest rates of life-threatening childbirth complications, deaths from pregnancy-related causes, and babies born too early or too small.

In San Diego County, babies in this highest risk group can be six times more likely to die before they reach their first birthday and 60 percent more likely to be born premature than the lowest risk group. In California, high-risk mothers are also more than three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes.

The vision of the County of San Diego Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) is for all families to be healthy, safe, and thriving. PEI addresses the causes of inequality and identifies best practices that can be implemented to eliminate disparities in maternal and infant mortality. The program aims to improve birth outcomes for women and birthing people at highest risk of poor prenatal and postpartum health outcomes.

Twenty-five (25) pilot participants will be selected from a pool of volunteers who meet, at least, the following criteria:

• Live in San Diego County AND
• Pregnant AND
• In their first or second trimester of pregnancy AND
• Meet income criteria (under development) AND
• Are participating or have participated in the San Diego County Infant Health program operated by Neighborhood House Association in central San Diego or Oceanside AND
• Are receiving or have received group support from the San Diego County’s Infant Program AND
• Other requirements or criteria that may be developed by SDF, the County, and the nonprofit partners.

• Jewish Family Service will be developing a way to select 25 pilot participants from a group of prequalified women who wish to be considered for the pilot and will distribute the income.
• The prequalified women will participate or have participated in the San Diego County‘s Infant Health Program, operated by Neighborhood House Association.
• As the local Public Health authority, the County of San Diego Maternal Child and Family Services Branch is advising SDF and its partners on the pilot and other Born Well strategies.

Partners are working together now to develop the pilot. As soon as all components are in place, participants in the San Diego County’s Infant Healt will be informed of the opportunity to volunteer to be considered for the pilot.

The Guaranteed Income Pilot has not been implemented yet. After it is implemented, volunteers from the San Diego County’s Infant Health program who are selected for the pilot will be provided with information about cash payments and other services at that time.

San Diego County’s Infant Program services are offered now in the following locations:

Central San Diego 
286 Euclid Avenue, Suite 308, San Diego, CA 92114
Phone: (619) 266-7466 | Fax: (619) 262-9188
Email: [email protected]

North County
3156 Vista Way, Suite 200, Oceanside, CA 92056
Phone: (760) 231-1887 | Fax: (760) 231-1885
Email: [email protected]

Now that the Born Well Initiative has launched, a nonprofit organization has been selected to operate the pilot. Partners are working together now to design the pilot. As soon as all components are in place, participants in the San Diego County’s Infant Health program will be invited to volunteer to be considered for the pilot. It will be some weeks before we are ready to implement the Guaranteed Income Pilot.