Honor Women’s History Month by Supporting Maternal Health in Broward

Bridges to Better Care Is Saving Lives Through Culturally Responsive Healthcare

by Aisha T. McDonald, LMHC, Director of Training Initiatives, United Way Broward

The journey to motherhood is an extremely profound transition in a woman’s life — a time filled with hope, anticipation, and the desire to nurture new life. Yet for many women in Broward County, especially those in the Black and Haitian communities as well as individuals living in lower-income households, this journey is shaped by challenges threatening their health and the health of their babies.

These challenges are not the result of individual choices but of long-standing conditions limiting access to quality and relevant care. These conditions cause financial and psychosocial strains on families and place disproportionate burdens on people in specific demographics.

Women’s History Month offers a powerful lens through which to highlight the risks mothers in Broward County are facing. The month honors generations of women who fought for dignity, safety, and the right to thrive. Maternal health sits at the heart of this legacy.

When women are supported during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery, they are better able to lead, contribute, and shape the future. Ensuring ALL mothers are healthy is a extension of the work women around the world have championed for decades: the pursuit of opportunity, respect, and well‑being for themselves and their families.

In Broward County, the urgency is clear. Based on reports from Broward Healthy Start Coalition, the county’s fetal mortality rate — 7.4 per 1,000 deliveries — exceeds the average in the state of Florida. The differences among racial and cultural groups are stark: Black Non‑Hispanic women experience fetal loss at a rate of 10.0 per 1,000 deliveries, and Haitian women at 9.9, compared with 3.0 among White Non‑Hispanic women.*

Maternal deaths follow a similar pattern: 85% of maternal deaths in Broward occur among Black Non‑Hispanic and Haitian women even though Black women only account for 30.2% of the county’s population and Haitian community at 10% in total.* These numbers reflect the realities mothers describe every day: The path to a healthy pregnancy is far more difficult for some families in our community than for others.

United Way Broward’s statewide partnership with Bridges to Better Care, a program funded through the Florida Blue Foundation, is responding directly to these challenges. This program includes a consortium among United Way Broward, Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and Orlando Health in Central Florida.

Bridges to Better Care strengthens maternal health by ensuring women receive care that is culturally responsive, community‑grounded, and built on trust. Rather than expecting families to navigate complex systems alone, this life-saving program brings together healthcare providers, clinicians, hospitals, community health centers, doulas, home‑visiting programs, and social‑service agencies to create a coordinated network of support.

This approach, which focuses on building better provider-patient relationships and care, is making a substantial difference. Mothers consistently describe the emotional, practical, and informational support they receive from home visitors and doulas as transformative. Many say these programs offer

practical care, reassurance, consistent follow‑up, and material support such as car seats, strollers, and referrals. Doula support, in particular, often is described as “life‑changing” — helping mothers feel confident during labor, advocating for them when they feel a lack of support, and reducing fear in overwhelming moments.

Mothers repeatedly emphasize how meaningful it is to be surrounded by people who understand their culture, speak their language, and respect their lived experiences.

However, the challenges families face extends far beyond the delivery room. Reports identify housing instability, food insecurity, transportation barriers, and maternal mental‑health needs as the top issues in preventing mothers from engaging in prenatal or postpartum care. One mother said “Some days, I have to choose between paying rent and buying food,” and another mother said “We’re talking about breastfeeding, but I don’t even know where I’m going to live next month.”* These grim realities shape health outcomes just as much as medical care does.

Language barriers also persist, particularly for Haitian Creole–speaking mothers who struggle to communicate with providers or understand medical instructions. These challenges highlight the importance of culturally-responsive care — care that recognizes the whole person, honors cultural identity, and adapts to the challenges families face.

United Way Broward’s work on behalf of maternal health is deeply aligned with the spirit of Women’s History Month. For generations, women have organized, advocated, and cared for their communities. When we support maternal health, we recognize the women who fought for safer childbirth practices, for access to healthcare, for the right to be respected and supported in medical settings, and for the well‑being of future generations. When we invest in maternal health, we pay tribute to the women who came before us and enrich the paths for women who will follow.

The data reinforces the importance of this work. Broward’s mortality rate for Black infants typically falls between 9 and 12 deaths per 1,000 live births — nearly double the rate for white infants. Preterm birth and low birthweight remain the critical predictors of infant mortality, and these factors disproportionately affect Black infants. Mothers continue to report experiences of bias, cultural misunderstanding, and communication barriers in clinical settings. These conditions are the result of long‑standing gaps in access, quality, and support, and they are not inevitable.

And the solutions are within reach. United Way Broward is building a future where every mother has access to high‑quality care, every baby has the chance to thrive, and every family has the support needed to be healthy. Through Bridges to Better Care, we are improving the outcomes for maternal health, expanding access to culturally responsive services, and ensuring mothers are met with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

The work on behalf of maternal health demonstrates the values Women’s History Month in action — celebrating and commemorating all women with meaningful support to protect their health, uplifting their voices, and ensuring every new generation begins life on solid ground.

* This information provided by reports from Broward Healthy Start Coalition, Inc.