BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Kaiser Permanente announced on Tuesday it awarded a $95,000 grant to the Black Infant Maternal Health Initiative, also known as BIMHI, which aims to address the health disparities in Black mothers, children and infants in Kern County. Kaiser Permanente, a health care provider that also provides services in Kern County, said in a press release it awarded the grant to support BIMHI’s mission to address the gaps in maternal health, providing “culturally competent care” and support during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the maternal mortality rate for Black women in 2023 was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births – nearly 3.5 times higher than the maternal mortality rate for white women, which was 14.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Kern Black Infant and Maternal Health Initiative addresses disparities Brynn Carrigan, a member of BIMHI and the director of Kern County Public Health, expressed BIMHI’s gratitude for the grant. “This funding will significantly enhance our efforts by expanding our support network for Black birthing persons, providing essential prenatal and postnatal care services and fostering community trust in medical providers,” Carrigan said in the release. John Yamamoto, vice president of community health and government relations at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said in the release that health care institutions can take more immediate steps to improve Black maternal health. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage “By collaborating with medical providers, local doulas and healthcare organizations, we aim to create a supportive environment and build trust to improve health outcomes for Black women in Kern County,” Yamamoto said in the release. BIMHI is an initiative consisting of local government organizations, community-based groups, nonprofits and community members, according to the BIMHI website. The Kern County Public Health Department and First 5 Kern created the initiative in February of 2021, the website said. ...read more read less