Clarence Jones

in terms of how important it was for us as a community to discuss this. And so it was exciting to have her to accept this invitation to come. So she provides statewide leadership around infant mortality reduction, and she manages a state infant mortality reduction initiative.

in terms of how important it was for us as a community to discuss this. And so it was exciting to have her to accept this invitation to come. So she provides statewide leadership around infant mortality reduction, and she manages a state infant mortality reduction initiative.

That particular infant mortality reduction initiative provides resources, education, information, and technical assistance to local public health agencies, tribal governments, and community-based organizations to improve birth outcomes.

That particular infant mortality reduction initiative provides resources, education, information, and technical assistance to local public health agencies, tribal governments, and community-based organizations to improve birth outcomes.

She currently leads a project that is funded through the CDC to reduce the incidence of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the Black African-American population in Minnesota. And she manages multiple grants to nonprofit organizations through the Infant Health and Mortality Prevention Grant Program. And I'm saying all these things because I think that this is an issue that we are...

She currently leads a project that is funded through the CDC to reduce the incidence of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the Black African-American population in Minnesota. And she manages multiple grants to nonprofit organizations through the Infant Health and Mortality Prevention Grant Program. And I'm saying all these things because I think that this is an issue that we are...

that at least for me, I believe is very, very important for us, infant mortality, and not only in the state of Minnesota, also among people of color, but also in our nation. And so we want to just say, welcome, Michelle. And we are going to ask you a lot of questions, so have some fun.

that at least for me, I believe is very, very important for us, infant mortality, and not only in the state of Minnesota, also among people of color, but also in our nation. And so we want to just say, welcome, Michelle. And we are going to ask you a lot of questions, so have some fun.

But I think it's something that we want to make sure that people are really understanding about the importance of this topic.

But I think it's something that we want to make sure that people are really understanding about the importance of this topic.

Michelle, where does America sit? Where does the United States sit in terms of the rest of the world around this issue of infant mortality? We usually are one of the highest ones. Is that the same here?

Michelle, where does America sit? Where does the United States sit in terms of the rest of the world around this issue of infant mortality? We usually are one of the highest ones. Is that the same here?

Yeah. You mentioned a lot of different factors that affect infant mortality. And I'm wondering, you know, according to what you think, what is one of the primary factors? Is it the fact that people don't know or they're not given information to know how to have healthier babies. I don't know. I know that this is how I entered this whole public health realm.

Yeah. You mentioned a lot of different factors that affect infant mortality. And I'm wondering, you know, according to what you think, what is one of the primary factors? Is it the fact that people don't know or they're not given information to know how to have healthier babies. I don't know. I know that this is how I entered this whole public health realm.

I came through around infant mortality and I didn't realize how much it was affecting communities and things of that nature. So why do you think we haven't made any adjustments?

I came through around infant mortality and I didn't realize how much it was affecting communities and things of that nature. So why do you think we haven't made any adjustments?

So tell me, this is Clarence again. So tell me, Michelle, what are we doing to address this issue? You know, you said it. We all have said this and that. This is something that's been going on for 20, this has been going on for a long time. You know, this whole issue around infant mortality. And I'm sure that there's some efforts being made, but...

So tell me, this is Clarence again. So tell me, Michelle, what are we doing to address this issue? You know, you said it. We all have said this and that. This is something that's been going on for 20, this has been going on for a long time. You know, this whole issue around infant mortality. And I'm sure that there's some efforts being made, but...

Could you share with us some of the things that the state of Minnesota is doing in order to try to address these issues?

Could you share with us some of the things that the state of Minnesota is doing in order to try to address these issues?