Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Indiana University Health Foundation improves the health of individuals, communities and our state by focusing on people, progress and partnerships. Collaborating with partners and key stakeholders statewide is a key element in tackling Indiana’s biggest public health concerns including infant mortality.
Early 2021, the Foundation announced that the first disbursement from its Racial Equity in Healthcare Fund will be used for a new initiative designed to lower Indiana’s infant mortality rates.
The “Cradle Indianapolis” project is a collaborative effort among parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals and community members to identify and counter causes of infant mortality in Marion County. Working from a proven model that has reduced infant mortality by 20% in less than 10 years in Cincinnati, the initiative will look at preconception health, pregnancy health and infant health and address issues such as smoking during pregnancy, sleep-related deaths and pre-term births.
Indiana, and Marion County in particular, have abysmal rates of infant mortality—meaning babies who die before their first birthday. In 2019, Marion County’s infant mortality rate overall was 6.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. For Black babies, it was 13 deaths per 1,000 live births. This is why Cradle Indianapolis’s initial focus will be Black mothers and their babies.
To support the Racial Equity in Healthcare Fund and Cradle Indianapolis project, visit iuhealthfoundation.org/donate. Choose “IU Health Statewide.” Under “Donation Amount,” choose “Statewide Racial Equity in Healthcare Fund.”
