About the Cherished Futures Collaborative
Rooted in Data and Black Experiences
Cherished Futures is a collaborative effort to reduce Black maternal and infant health inequities and improve Black patient experiences. We bring together decision-makers from local hospitals, public health departments, health plans, and Black community leaders. Together, we co-design systems-change solutions at the clinical, institutional, and community levels.
Cherished Futures Collaborative Makeup
The Cherished Futures model drives primary change through hospital transformation teams and is supported by other collaborative partners.
Hospital teams include executive sponsors, physician and nurse champions, quality improvement, and other multi-disciplinary staff. Black community advisors are paired with each hospital team (at least 2 community advisors per team).
Local Public Health Departments
Health Insurance Plans
Black-led/serving Community Based Organizations
Hospital
Staff
Community
Advisors
Hospital Transformation Teams
(Hospital Staff + Community Advisors)
Year 1: Capacity building
The capacity-building year prepares teams for action through a series of workshops and technical assistance sessions.
Together, we:
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examine anti-Black racism as a root cause of unequal medical treatment and birth outcomes, and its impact on Black bodies.
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discuss systems-change and review individual hospital data
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strategies and regional collaboration opportunities.
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complete the Organizational Birth Equity Assessment
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select strategies from the Menu of Interventions
The year concludes with hospital transformation teams developing actionable, community-informed implementation plans across 3 domains: clinical, institutional, and community.
Year 2: Implementation
The implementation year puts teams' plans into action. With ongoing coaching and technical assistance from the Cherished Futures teams and collaborative partners, our hospital transformation teams implement the plans developed during year 1.
The collaborative continues to convene and explore Black-centered birth justice topics, often featuring nationally recognized experts in the field.
A Two-Year Cohort Experience
Cherished Futures is a two-year, cohort experience that focuses on institutional accountability and redefining the narrative about Black birthing families in Los Angeles.
“Working with [Cherished Futures] has made it easier to discuss items surrounding race with employees and physicians.”
- Cohort 1 Hospital Team Member