Charles Schelle
Known primarily for its work in maternal and infant health, B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB) at the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s (UMSSW) Center for Restorative Change is evolving. BHB is now deepening its roots in the community — building new partnerships and broadening its reach to address the full spectrum of family and community well-being.
While the health of babies remains central to its mission, the Upton and Druid Heights arm of this citywide initiative has grown to recognize and support the well-being of the men —fathers, grandfathers, and caregivers — who help raise them.
“There’s no way that we can improve maternal and infant health outcomes solely by focusing on mothers and children. Our outcomes are interconnected with people who mothers and children are connected to,” said Stacey Stephens, MSW, LCSW-C, clinical assistant professor, UMSSW, and program director. “It’s connected to dads and grandparents. If we’re able to improve health intergenerationally, then it’s better for the entire community.”
What started as outreach to mothers about safe sleep practices and the benefits of breastfeeding to reduce infant mortality has grown into a comprehensive initiative —encompassing family planning, smoking cessation, nutrition, stress management, blood pressure monitoring, and mental health support — through a coordinated network of partners.
“We have doubled down on really addressing social determinants of health, which we know are the factors that impact and are the drivers of a lot of the disparate outcomes that we see not only around maternal and infant losses and morbidity, but also around chronic illnesses, such as hypertension and diabetes,” Stephens said.
One outreach model focused on engaging men — fathers, grandfathers, and uncles —through barbershops. What began as visits three times a year grew to 10 annual events, thanks to BHB and its partners. The effort started with Father’s Day Barber Baby Day and, following the pandemic, evolved into “The Huddle” — monthly Thursday gatherings held in barbershops to connect and support dads.
“On Fridays, the barbershops take it over, and they finish the education when they’re seeing their patrons, and then they challenge their patrons to also share it with other families,” Stephens said.
In response to the mental health challenges many fathers face, organizations like Uncommon Dialogue have stepped up to support formerly incarcerated men reentering their communities. Led by Deon Jones, the group has collaborated with BHB’s fatherhood cohorts and, this year, took part in BHB’s inaugural social-emotional parenting group designed exclusively for fathers.
“The dialogues are so imperative because they help them solve questions the dads are wrestling with on their own, and now they’re getting collective feedback as a group,” Jones said.
During that session, BHB discovered that 90 percent of the men in attendance had elevated blood pressure, according to Stephens. In response, they were connected with the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s RICH 2.0 Collaborative, which provides hypertension education, guidance on lowering blood pressure, and support in accessing health insurance and primary care.
In the spirit of BHB’s philosophy of partnerships and community, expect to see BHB’s network holding events at the Health Village at Mondawmin, where UMB physicians and providers will soon deliver vital services and where BHB already engages with the community inside CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield’s space. There, BHB will continue to listen to neighbors to make sure mom, dad, baby, and the whole family have what they need.
“It’s always been healthy families,” Stephens said. “It’s healthy communities for me. Always.”
The male engagement initiatives at B’more for Healthy Babies at the Center for Restorative Change are supported by generous donations from The Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Sherman Family Foundation, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.
