Racial inequity in maternal health outcomes is a public health crisis in the United States. This training will give medical providers tools to reduce these disparities when providing care to Black birthing people.

Research demonstrates that the racial disparity in maternal health outcomes is a product of structural racism in the medical system and providers’ implicit bias when providing care to Black birthing people. Providers often lack knowledge of structural racism’s impacts on the practice of medicine and the role of their own implicit biases in contributing to these outcomes.

Providers also lack strategies to address their own implicit biases when working with Black birthing people. This training will close this practice gap by improving knowledge on structural racism in medicine and the harmful impacts of implicit bias and equip providers with strategies to identify and mitigate implicit bias in these provider-patient encounters, to contribute to reducing racial inequities in maternal health outcomes.

This training is intended for medical professionals who work with Black birthing people across the care spectrum.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the historical context and current role of structural racism in the United States healthcare system.
  2. Define implicit bias and identify how it contributes to racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.
  3. Identify and address one’s own implicit biases and develop strategies to mitigate impacts on patient care.
Please reach out to [email protected] for information on group training packages for your hospital department, medical staff, or trainees.

CMEs

The AAFP has reviewed Eliminating Implicit Bias in Maternity Care and deemed it acceptable for up to 4.00 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 06/06/2024 to 06/06/2025. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AMA/AAFP Equivalency: AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™ toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1.

Dr. Marissa Long, Psy.D.

Dr. Marissa Long is a licensed clinical health psychologist, organizational consultant and trainer in Southern California.

Dr. Long has been dedicated to helping individuals in their family-building journey, particularly those with high-risk pregnancies and pregnancy loss to manage or relieve the emotional distress associated with these challenges. She works with patients at any and all points along their journey, whether that be during fertility treatments, assessment for gestational carriers and donors, or transition to pregnancy and postpartum. Dr. Long works primarily with the BIPOC community.

Prior to establishing her own practice, ARC Counseling and Wellness, Dr. Long worked in the behavioral medicine, OBGYN, reproductive endocrinology, and education departments at Kaiser Permanente in Fresno, California.

Dr. Long brings to her work and this special training with Seleni both her experience and skills combined with warmth and a genuine interest in helping people feel and do better.