Community advisory boards and committees

Birth Justice Community Advisory Board

The Birth Justice Community Advisory Board provides advice and recommendations on maternal health equity matters affecting Hennepin County.

Members of the public and local officials can be appointed to serve on this board.

Openings

There are no current openings.

Application

Application details available on Community advisory boards and committees overview.

Structure

The board shall have at least 13 members and no more than 19.
The board can recommend individuals to participate.
Seats may include at least 2 and up to 6 members of the Birth Justice Collaborative.
The remaining seats shall be filled using the county's open appointment process; preference will be given to Hennepin County residents.

The advisory board shall seek diverse membership through representation of Black and American Indian communities most impacted by maternal health disparities in Minnesota, geographic distribution from across the county, and various stakeholder groups, including professional birthing providers and community-based birth and cultural providers.

Members should have:

Connection with local Black and/or American Indian communities
Experience/expertise in maternal health and birth justice
A commitment to racial and health equity
The ability to work collaboratively with people of diverse perspectives and experiences
The ability to represent the geographic and demographic diversity of Hennepin County

Eligibility Requirements

At-large : Preference is given to Hennepin County residents and people with lived experience.

Black and American Indian maternal health community members, professional birthing providers and community-based birth and cultural providers are encouraged to apply.

Term

Two years.

Terms run from March 1 through the end of February.

Responsibilities

The board has a broad mandate to provide advice and recommendations on maternal health equity matters affecting Hennepin County, including:

Identify and uplift priority strategies for advancing maternal health and birth justice
Implement and test collaborative strategies for improved outcomes, experiences, and systems change
Collectively review and share data and stories across sectors and culture to advance, expand and replicate the work
Advocate for and advance culturally centered models of care as it pertains to birthing and postpartum care
Report out progress and outcomes for pilot programs and initiatives within the Black and American Indian communities
Work closely with county departments and agencies to provide input and recommendations on maternal health equity policies and initiatives. County departments and agencies may include Disparity Reduction, Health and Human Services line of business, Child Wellbeing, and key county programs serving pregnant individuals.

The advisory board will bring recommendations to the Hennepin County Public Health (HCPH) department, and HCPH will bring forward recommendations to the Board of Commissioners and/or other county departments.

Meetings

The advisory board meets every other month and at other times and locations, as determined by Hennepin County staff in consultation with the advisory board.

Meetings have hybrid options.

Meetings are open to the public. Voting is restricted to members.