Examining Illinois’ Universal Newborn Supports Infrastructure

While reading, there are several things to consider, which include: 

• What metrics are most useful and relevant to this topic? While the authors of this report chose specific metrics that they viewed as relevant to UNSS, there are many other data points that were not or could not be included. Additional exploration to understand which resources are most essential for new families, and an analysis weighing these resources accordingly, could lead to greater insights on this topic.  

• What data is missing? Separate from the first point is the issue of data that is unavailable. Some highly relevant data points—such as the maternal mortality rate—cannot be reliably disaggregated for communities with small populations without threatening the quality of the data, and there is little that can be done in such cases.  In other cases, relevant data simply does not exist, or does not exist in a high-quality and reliable format on community or even county levels. For example, maternal morbidity rates are higher than those for maternal mortality and therefore may have fewer challenges to reliability in smaller populations. The Illinois Maternal Health Task Force has significantly improved the state’s understanding of maternal morbidity and mortality in recent years, but finding community-level data is still difficult. Other data points, such as the distribution of midwives or doulas, are also lacking on a smaller scale. Data on infant and toddler programs and services is frequently less readily available than data relating to older children, and addressing this gap would serve not only to support this endeavor, but also to pave the way for future research and programs for the state’s youngest learners.  
• What is the role of community leaders? Apart from improving data on a state-wide level, there is a significant portion of information that cannot be collected by the state, and must be shared by leaders within their communities. This information includes informal and/or temporary resources—such as educational programs, support groups, parenting classes, and other local services—that are essential to new parents and the success of UNSS programs, but which cannot be mapped on a statewide level. Collecting high-level data is not and cannot be a replacement for collaborating with leaders within communities. Furthermore, communities must be involved in conversations about scaling new resources and programs such as UNSS, as local engagement and partnership is essential to building sustainable services. 

This report is shared with the hope that it will serve as a catalyst for additional conversations, not just about UNSS within Illinois, but about the resources available to new and expecting families across the country.