Houston, TX
We are working together to address the issues furthering health inequities for families in Houston.
Our Work Together
Partnering with local government, state leaders, corporate health partners and community-based organizations and stakeholders, our Local Collective Impact Initiative will confront challenges by building solutions to achieve health and racial equity for all moms and babies.
Challenges Facing Local Moms and Babies
Houston is our nation's fourth-largest city. With no racial or ethnic majority, it has one of the fastest-growing and most diverse populations anywhere in the world, with a talented workforce cutting across the energy, health care, aerospace and information technology sectors. Houston anchors Harris County, which is our nation's third largest county with 4.7 million residents. With just over 67,000 live births, Harris County babies accounted for approximately one-fifth of all babies born in Texas in 2018.
The area also faces challenges. Poverty and food insecurity, alongside factors such as inadequate access to health care and being uninsured, help fuel the local maternal and infant health crisis. These factors contribute to high rates of preterm birth, infant mortality and severe maternal morbidity, particularly for communities of color.
PRETERM BIRTH BY RACE/ETHNICITY
Houston, 2017-2019 Average
INFANT MORTALITY RATES BY RACE/ETHNICITY
Harris County, 2016-2018 Average
News & Resources
The Best Place for Working Parents promotes policies that benefit working parents and businesses’ bottom line, including company-paid health coverage, paid time off, parental leave, onsite child care, childcare assistance, backup child care, flexible hours, remote work, nursing benefits, and “Best Place” designation. The self-assessment, real-time dashboard results, and the Best Place for Working Parents® designation for qualifying businesses can be accessed at business.bestplace4workingparents.com.
In the 2021 March of Dimes Report Card, Harris County and Houston received a F. This article showcases the local data surrounding preterm birth.
Alicia Lee, March of Dimes, Director MCH Collective Impact for Houston highlights the collective work March of Dimes is leading in Houston to improve the health for all moms, babies, and families.
GET INVOLVED
Every family can have the best possible start. But today, too many moms and babies are dying or experiencing serious health complications related to childbirth—and far too many are moms and babies of color. Only by working together can we confront inequities and ensure the health and wellbeing of every family.
