Women-Inspired Neighborhood (WIN) Network: Detroit

The Women-Inspired Neighborhood (WIN) Network: Detroit is a program of the Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force. The Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force was formed in 2008 after the CEOs of the four major health systems serving Detroit (Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health, Oakwood Healthcare – now Beaumont, and St. John Providence Health System – now Ascension St. John), alarmed by persistently high infant mortality rates in the region and gaping health disparities, committed their organizations to find lasting, collaborative solutions.

For more information on WIN Network: Detroit, visit WINnetworkDetroit.org.

The Inspiration

Improve infant mortality rates for families in Detroit
We empower mothers and their support partners (significant others, grandparents, sisters and friends) to help babies thrive beyond first birthdays. Using innovative strategies, Community Health Workers (CHWs) guide new and expecting mothers through a safety net of social, emotional and clinical supports.

Inspire Healthy Births

Improve equity in birth outcomes

We are the nation’s first program to pilot an enhanced model of group prenatal care where Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Certified Nurse Midwives are co-facilitators. In groups clustered by gestational age, participants learn the CenteringPregnancy® curriculum with an added focus on social determinants of health. CHWs conduct home visits through babies’ first birthdays, and continuously guide women to resources.

Inspire Connections

Link women to resources using high touch & high-tech strategies

We support pregnant and non-pregnant women in their communities and online. CHWs guide expecting moms, promote health via social media, host events and facilitate educational sessions to share information about pre- and interconception health, healthy living, social needs and more.

Inspire Learning

Promote equity & cultural competency in health care

As part of the Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force, we are a learning collaborative. With formal healthcare equity training at our foundation, data and participant stories are discussed regularly at quarterly meetings and during other outlets. CHWs inspire understanding between patients and providers by helping women improve their health literacy and consumption. Most recently, our focus is honed on recognizing and reducing the impact of unconscious bias in care.

Our Outcomes

COHORT 1
An analysis of births for 323 pregnant women enrolled in our first cohort between 2011-2013 shows WIN Network increased the likelihood of having a full-term birth, reduced NICU admission rates, increased breastfeeding, and demonstrated evidence of reduced risk of infant mortality using a comparison group of births from the same time and geographic regions. When compared to controls, WIN Network participants were less likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care (6% vs 10%; p=0.02) or to experience preterm birth (13% vs 17%; p=0.02). The prevalence of low birthweight was lower among WIN Network participants (9% vs 12%), but did not reach statistical significance (p=0.28). CHWs were also critical in shaping participants’ view of opportunities to thrive.

COHORT 2 (CURRENT OUTCOMES)

With our second cohort, launched April 2016, we began offering enhanced group prenatal care for African American women aged 18-45. Of the 288 births, 93% have been born full-term, compared to 85.4% of all Detroit babies in 2019. Our average gestational age is 38.5 weeks. 6% of the births were low birthweight, compared to 14.9% of all Detroit births in 2019. Our average birthweight was 7.69 pounds. 96% of our moms initiated breastfeeding.

The benefit of CHWs in helping black women overcome barriers, achieve behavior change and succeed at pursuing goals is critical in improving birth outcomes for this vulnerable group.

View WIN Network: Detroit’s past and present funding partners.