ASCEND WI Initiatives
Our central hypothesis is that: 1) creating housing stability, 2) building trust with clinician-doula teams, 3) and supporting both education and community, clinical, and academic partnerships will improve maternal health in Southeastern WI.

We will test this hypothesis through four specific aims:
  • Partner with community organizations to improve maternal health
  • Develop and evaluate interventions to address key drivers of maternal morbidity and mortality
  • Disseminate findings to relevant stakeholders and policy makers
  • Train early stage researchers and clinical health professionals in maternal health research
We will accomplish these aims through four initiatives:
  • BUNDLE (Building trust and uniting teams through doula partnership)
  • HOME (Reducing housing instability and neighborhood deprivation effect on maternal health)
  • ENHANCE-M Education (Early career-centered enrichment to advance research careers in maternal health)
  • TEAM (Transdisciplinary teams working to improve maternal health)​

BUNDLE

​Building trust and uniting teams through doula partnership

Aim 1: Develop an integrated prenatal care model of medical providers and doulas

Aim 2: Compare the effectiveness of the integrated prenatal care model to standard prenatal care in improving healthcare engagement and trust and reducing adverse maternal outcomes. The study population is 412 pregnant women from the city of Milwaukee.

​Aim 3: Disseminate findings to scholarly and community-based forums, and actively pursue opportunities for systems- and policy-level change.

HOME

​Reducing housing instability and neighborhood deprivation effect on maternal health 
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Aim 1: To understand the personal and neighborhood characteristics and services that contribute to increased housing stability among low-income pregnant people to inform programs to improve housing stability.

Aim 2: To explore the impact of housing instability and neighborhood conditions on the physical and mental health of pregnant people, allostatic load, and pregnancy outcomes. The study population is 589 low-income birthing women living with housing instability.

Aim 3: To identify the service needs of pregnant people in each of the housing statuses: homeless, in rental housing without subsidies, doubled up, with housing subsidies, and in supportive housing.

ENHANCE-M

Early career-centered enrichment to advance research careers in maternal health​

​Aim 1: Recruit postdoctoral fellows and ESI to participate in a 24-month maternal health clinical research program focused on community-engaged research and clinical trials. The educational component goal is to increase the number of skilled professionals in maternal health research.
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​Aim 2: Implement and evaluate the 24-month maternal health clinical research program. Ensure that recruitment targets individuals demonstrating the highest potential for success based on qualifications, skills, and previous experience.

Cohort Schedule:
Cohort 1: September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2026
Cohort 2: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2028
Cohort 3: September 1, 2028 – August 31, 2028​

TEAM

Transdisciplinary and equitable approach to maternal health 
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Aim 1: Create a TEAM that includes experts from research, clinical, population health, and community settings to generate a conceptual model of the key drivers of maternal health in SE WI.

Aim 2: Facilitate engagement across all project components to ensure trusting relationships between all members of the Maternal Health Center of Excellence.
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