From the Framework for an Equitable Homelessness Response:
Homelessness persists across the United States and is increasing in some regions. Concurrently, there is a growing recognition of a maternal and infant health crisis. Both crises disproportionately affect and harm people and families who are Black, Indigenous, or other people of color. Healthy Parents Healthy Babies (HPHB) was established to document and disseminate strategies to reduce racial disparities, increase housing stability, and improve maternal health, birth outcomes, and child health associated with homelessness and extreme housing instability among women and families of color. Centering the voices of people who have experienced pregnancy while housing unstable in developing and determining these recommendations was foundational for this work.
The HPHB recommendations, informed by women’s experiences in navigating the housing and healthcare systems across the United States, provide a path forward and the next best steps to reducing racial disparities, increasing housing stability, and improving maternal health, birth outcomes, and child health associated with homelessness and extreme housing instability among women and families of color.