Vermont Health Department BIPOC Birthing Study
"I am incredibly grateful to the study team, Dr. Nadia DuBose, Hope Elliott, and Reese C. Kelly, Ph.D., BCTMB, and the courageous individuals who shared their stories. This report is more than just a study. It is an invitation to listen, learn, and take action."
- Emily Smith, Ph.D., Director of Program Evaluation - Division of Family and Child Health at Vermont Department of Health
TCDG partnered with the Vermont Department of Health's Maternal Health Innovation team to design and implement a statewide qualitative study exploring how BIPOC birthing people experience maternal healthcare across Vermont. Through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and participant letters to system leaders, the study sought to better understand the barriers, strengths, and opportunities shaping maternal health experiences before, during, and after birth.
Recognizing that many participants would be sharing deeply personal and, at times, traumatic experiences, TCDG designed a trauma-informed and community-centered engagement process grounded in trust, cultural responsiveness, safety, and relationship. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, the research team created spaces where participants felt comfortable candidly sharing the realities of their experiences. This approach reflects TCDG's belief that community proximity is not a limitation in research, but a strength. By centering the voices and wisdom of those most impacted, the study surfaced critical insights about emotional safety, communication, representation, and belonging that are often difficult to uncover through traditional research methods. The result was a rich understanding of maternal health that honored both data and lived experience.
Impact: The study resulted in a comprehensive report and actionable recommendations for strengthening maternal health equity across Vermont, with a particular focus on emotional safety, culturally responsive care, representation, and accountability. TCDG worked closely with Vermont's Maternal Health Innovation Team to ensure that participant voices remained central to both the findings and the path forward. The partnership continues through the development of facilitated learning experiences that help maternal health care providers engage with the recommendations. The work also creates opportunities for study participants to remain connected to the process, ensuring their lived experience and wisdom can continue to inform implementation.TCDG will continue to work with the state to move beyond simply documenting inequities but toward building systems that are more responsive, equitable, and informed by the people they serve.
