Minnesota groups plan Indigenous birth center to improve maternal care

Indigenous-led organizations in Minnesota are planning a birth center focused on Native culture and traditions to improve maternal health outcomes, according to The Imprint. The Birth Justice Collaborative—a partnership of African American- and Indigenous-led nonprofits—plans to submit its proposal to Minnesota lawmakers by the end of the year. Services will include medical care, cultural teachings, and access to traditional medicines, with guidance from elders and spiritual leaders. Ruth Buffalo, CEO of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, is among the organizers. Community feedback is shaping services to reduce fear and trauma around pregnancy and childbirth, said Antony Stately, president of the Native American Community Clinic. Funding may come from state sources and Medicaid reimbursements. The effort aims to reclaim child-rearing practices common before federal policies separated Indigenous families.