CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, according to First Year Cleveland, a collective of agencies and organizations that work to reduce infant deaths.
Although it has declined over the past few years, Bernadette Kerrigan with First Year Cleveland said there are still too many babies who don’t live to see their first birthday.
“It is still way too high. It is at this time, for 2020, 13.26%. Now, it is the lowest we have seen in over seven years, so that’s worth it to celebrate. However, we need to get this down,” Kerrigan said.
With the goal of decreasing the county’s infant mortality rate, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health are launching “Baby on Board.” The program will offer free monthly RTA passes to new and expectant mothers and their families who live within three zip code areas 44108, 44112, and 44110, which include portions of the city of Cleveland and East Cleveland.
Maribeth Feke, the director of programming and planning at RTA, said medical appointments is one of the top three destinations for riders, but accessing transportation is a challenge for those living in certain areas.
“What we’ve heard from hospitals across the city is that 50% of the folks who do not make appointments, … it’s because of transportation issues. What we hear from this population is that 85% say that the reason they didn’t get there is transportatio,” said Feke.
Making transportation to medical, prenatal and postpartum appointments more financially accessible is just the start. With funding from the Ohio Transportation Department, the Baby on Board program will also upgrade bus stops to make them more safe and appealing.
“Instead of having women with strollers truck through the grass or the mud having a concrete pad, there would help. We’re looking at shelters, landing pads, solar lighting for shelters that already exist. Also looking at little things like trash cans and additional benches as well,” said Amy Snell of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
“If you look across the county, there is a huge disparity that exists in what a waiting area looks like. There are some communities with seating (and) heating. It’s really nice, but then there’s other locations that literally have a pole on grass,” said Angela Newman-White of the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and Ohio Equity Institute.
Newman-White said that community-driven research shows that lack of transportation has a direct correlation to infant mortalities in these communities. She thinks the Baby on Board program will make a major impact.
“If we can improve those conditions and bring highlights of that in these three communities, we’re hopeful that other communities and zip codes get on board with the Baby on Board project and address the infrastructure changes which of course will have that more long term sustainable impact,” Newman-White said.
Representatives said the Cuyahoga County Board of Health will enroll and distribute passes to eligible women. It will identify women through partnerships with medical providers and local health care centers and organizations.
