BLACK BIRTHWORKERS COMMUNITY
The goal of Maternal Mental Health NOW’s Black Birthworkers Community is to build capacity, create community, and provide support to Black birth workers in order to improve access to holistic, culturally appropriate perinatal mental health care for Los Angeles County’s Black birthing population. Under the leadership of a 12-person Advisory Council, the Black Birthworkers Community organizes events and initiatives that provide opportunities for care, celebration, support and connection between members of the Black workforce serving LA’s Black birthing community.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Black Birthworkers Enrichment Fund
LA County Black Birthworkers Enrichment Fund – Round 2 is Here!
Supporting Those Who Care for Our Community
Black communities face some of the most substantial barriers to accessing timely, culturally sensitive, and informed perinatal health and mental health care. The providers best equipped to deliver this high-quality care – Black birthworkers – carry heavy financial burdens to sustain their practices and care for families. As a result, our region faces a severe shortage of holistic, Black-led resources, which are essential to supporting families navigating pregnancy and postpartum.
In Response to the Need:
Maternal Mental Health NOW launched the LA County Black Birthworkers Enrichment Fund to improve the well-being and birth outcomes of the Black birthing community by caring for those who care for them.
In its first round, the fund received 29 submissions, highlighting the immense need within the birthworker space. We proudly awarded $10,400 to 17 Black birthworkers, primarily for education and training. Now, we are excited to more than double that impact with our second round!
Round 2 is Open!
We are now offering a single-level $400 award to support Black birthworkers in Los Angeles County. This funding can be used for training, essential resources, personal expenses, or self-care to ensure that birthworkers have what they need to continue delivering the highest quality care.
Important Dates:
- Applications Close: April 11, 2025
- Award Announcement: May 2025
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be Black birthworkers actively serving Black birthing people in Los Angeles County.
- Those who received funding in the 2023 cycle are not eligible to apply this round, to ensure more birthworkers can benefit. However, you are welcome to apply in the next cycle!
How to Apply:
Complete the short application form. View the FAQ document for additional info.
For questions, concerns, or feedback, please email us at bbw_fund@
HISTORY
The Black Birthworkers Community is a direct response to the Perinatal Mental Health Conference for Black Birthworkers, Providers & Clinicians that Maternal Mental Health NOW and iDREAM for Racial Health Equity hosted in May 2021. The conference was the culminating event of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Outcomes for Pregnant and Postpartum Black Birthing People in LA County project. The conference had 188 attendees, including mental health professionals, doulas, lactation consultants, parent and childbirth educators, nurses, home visitors, midwives, and physicians. Overwhelming feedback from conference participants included requests to have additional opportunities to learn, network, celebrate and care for other Black birth workers on an ongoing basis.