The infant mortality rate (IMR) is a widely used indicator of the nation’s health.
In 2012, the United States ranked 25th among 29 industrialized nations, with an overall IMR of 5. 98/1,000 live births.1 Most notable, the IMR for infants born to non-Hispanic black mothers was 1 1. 19/1,000,
more than double the non-Hispanic white IMR of 5. 04/1,00 0. 2 State public health departments lead infant mortality reduction efforts within their states with support of the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant Program.3 At the local level, Healthy Start grants are provided to communities with high annual rates of infant mortality (i.e., at least 1½ times the U. S. national average) and high rates for other adverse perinatal outcomes (e.g., low birthweight, preterm birth, maternal morbidity and mortality) in order to address the needs of high-risk women and their families before, during, and after pregnancy.
To advance the mission of Healthy Start and contribute to state infant mortality reduction efforts, this announcement solicits applications for the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network on Infant Mortality (IM CoIIN).