About

OKBEI works tirelessly to equip families in Oklahoma to have healthy births with dignity and reduce health disparities among pregnant women—so that all of Oklahoma can grow together.

Young black parents holding newborn baby.

Since 2019, the Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative (OKBEI) has worked closely with local community partners in a collaborative effort to explore and implement evidence-based strategies that address clear gaps in how we address maternal conception, pregnancy, mortality, and morbidity in our community.

We Include and Support All Kinds of Families

We focus our efforts wherever the need to improve wellness outcomes in Oklahoma is greatest—ensuring that everyone is seen and heard with compassion and care, so we can create better health experiences for Oklahoma parents and children.

How OKBEI Is Making Its Impact

Community-Based Doula Program

Offers prenatal, labor/birth, postpartum and parenting support in a caring, localized approach that brings people together.

Queens Village Tulsa logo

Queens village Tulsa

Creates room and opportunities for Black mothers to support and be supported by their peers at welcoming community events focused specifically on them.

Hospital Quality Improvement Plans

Promotes strategies such as the TeamBirth model and Respectful Maternity Care trainings that ensure Black, Native, teen and justice-involved parents are seen, heard and centered

Preconception Guidance Course

Provides leading-edge guidance on self-advocacy, nutrition, wellness activities, and more, to improve childbirth experience for women navigating chronic conditions.

Public Awareness & Outreach

Participate in social media campaigns and events such as Black Maternal Health Week to boost understanding of health disparities among pregnant parents and how to address them.

Policy Language

Working with key stakeholders, elected officials, community groups and other policy-makers, we’re committed to helping develop innovative, effective federal, state and local health policies that promote better pregnancy and birth outcomes for all Oklahoma parents and children.

Mission

The Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative equips families in Oklahoma to have healthy births with dignity and reduce maternal health disparities—creating a healthier, more equitable Oklahoma for all.

Teen couple in library
Family hug with three kids.
young couple embracing
Family moment, with mother supporting toddler on father shoulders.
Three women simultaneously kissing baby
Young mother watching baby sleep in bed.

Vision

At Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative, we envision an Oklahoma in which all people are centered and respected before, during and after pregnancy.

Funding Transparency

George Kaiser Family Foundation Logo
BEST logo
Safer Childbirth Cities Logo

Thank you to our Partners

OU Health Physicians Logo
Ariadne Labs Logo
Hilcrest Medical Center Logo
OSU logo
Metriarch logo