Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems: A Community-Driven Approach to Creating Change

Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems: A Community-Driven Approach to Creating Change

Traditional Methods for Tackling Community Problems Aren’t Working. It’s Time for a Radically Different Approach. How many babies are dying in your community? In 2011, Cincinnati and surrounding Hamilton County had one of the nation’s worst infant mortality rates. Black babies were dying at three times the rate of white babies. By 2023, Hamilton County had achieved its lowest infant mortality rate on record, which was on par with the national average. The Black infant mortality rate had been cut in half. Today, over 220 children are alive because of Hamilton County’s collective efforts. What changed? Unprecedented collaboration! Physicians and healthcare systems, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and funders formed new partnerships, shared data, and—most importantly—listened to and engaged those with lived experience to improve birth outcomes for moms and their babies. Your community can achieve similar results. In Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems , Jill Haubner Miller and Dr. Meredith C. Smith provide a flexible framework for tackling complex problems. Lessons you’ll learn include: How to unify stakeholders and communities around a “North Star” goal - Why it’s necessary to challenge assumptions, uncover inequities, and identify silos to create the change you seek - Strategies to help design a systems change model that gets to the root of your wicked problem (rather than merely treating its symptoms) - Why it’s important to pilot new ideas on a controlled scale…then adapt, expand, and spread what works - Tips for securing funding and for engaging in effective policy advocacy Wicked problems are complex and difficult to tackle—but change is doable! This book will give you the knowledge and tools to pull them all together so you can improve—or even save—more lives. Jill Haubner Miller is president and CEO of Bethesda Inc. and its bi3 Fund, which has made large investments to improve maternal and infant health in Greater Cincinnati. Dr. Meredith C. Smith is the executive director of Cradle Cincinnati, a network of partners working to improve Cincinnati’s and Hamilton County, Ohio’s infant mortality rate.