The Delaware Healthy Mother and Infant Consortium celebrated its 20th anniversary on April 13 during an annual summit attended by more than 370 maternal and infant health advocates. The event, held at the Chase Center ballroom in Wilmington, featured the theme “Learning from the past. Leading in the present. Shaping maternal and child health for the future” and included presentations from industry experts, panel discussions, and networking opportunities showcasing key initiatives and accomplishments in maternal and child health.
DHMIC Chair Dr. Priscilla Mpasi stated that “reaching our 20-year milestone is both a celebration and a call to action,” emphasizing that “our progress proves what is possible when communities, health systems, and policymakers work together.” Since DHMIC’s establishment in 2006, Delaware’s infant mortality rate has improved dramatically: from the sixth highest among states in 2005 (9.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births) to the 22nd by 2026, representing a 36.2% drop. Delaware reached a record-low infant mortality rate of 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017-2021. The state also experienced a 17% increase in pregnancy intention according to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data from 2012 to 2020.
Key Milestones and Initiatives
Significant programs have contributed to these improvements. The Delaware Home Visiting Program, launched in 2010 following the Affordable Care Act, served 655 Delaware families and 634 children through 7,181 visits in 2024. In 2022, the Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program began providing pregnant women in the first and second trimester with a guaranteed income of $1,000 each month for two years. The same year, the Momnibus Legislation passed, representing a comprehensive effort to address racial disparities and improve maternal and infant health outcomes. The Delaware Perinatal Quality Collaborative was formally codified in law in 2019, providing a framework for sustained statewide quality-improvement efforts in perinatal care. In 2026, Delaware advanced statewide efforts to strengthen perinatal mental health access, screening, and support through House Concurrent Resolution 82.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://hoyendelaware.com/delaware-healthy-mother-infant-consortium-20th-anniversary/