HCAN Shines on the National Stage at APHA 2025

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) proudly represented the agency at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2025 conference in Washington, DC. The team showcased the impact of community-based solutions in improving birth outcomes and advancing health equity on a national stage.

Spotlight: Data for Equity Cohort 2

Led by Dameta Wright, Director of the Pathways Community Hub, and Bettie Johnson, Associate Hub Director, HCAN participated in the Data for Equity Learning Cohort, funded by Interact for Health.

The project focused on Community Health Workers (CHWs) and clients from the Cincinnati Health Department (CHD), aiming to demonstrate that Hub CHW interventions improve birth outcomes, particularly for Black mothers and babies.

Grant funding supported:

• Building capacity for equitable data and evaluation practices

• Staff participation in the Data for Equity Learning Cohort

• An epidemiologist’s analysis of birth outcomes data to answer:
  Does having a Hub CHW improve birth outcomes for mothers, particularly Black women and babies?

Key Findings

Co-presented by Andrew Lovell, Epidemiologist, and Bettie Johnson, HCAN’s findings highlighted the effectiveness of the Hub model:

• 72% lower odds of infant death

• 55% lower odds of preterm birth

• 75% lower odds of extreme preterm birth

• 79% of CHW clients were Black/African American mothers, compared to 31% of all county births

Dameta Wright shared the broader impact of CHWs across Hamilton County, HCAN’s service area, and statewide through partnerships with other Pathways Community Hubs.

Note: This analysis focused on CHWs and clients from CHD. Future studies will include all Hub agencies to expand understanding of the model’s impact.

APHA Participation & Advocacy

At APHA, HCAN connected with Angela Dawson, Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health (OCMH), who emphasized:

• Scaling the HUB model statewide to reduce Black infant mortality

• Funding for CHW incentives and support for African American mothers

• Sustained investment in Pathways Community Hubs

• Policy implications for state-level funding of CHW work

HCAN contributed to discussions, helping attendees understand the challenges and successes of Hubs, CHWs, and the mothers they serve.

Looking Ahead

HCAN’s participation at APHA 2025 reflects the agency’s commitment to evidence-based practice, collaboration, and advocacy for policies that support CHWs and improve maternal and infant health. HCAN is proud to share this work nationally and continue building partnerships that drive positive change.

Connect with the team:

• Andrew Lovell, Epidemiologist: andrew.lovell@cincinnati-oh.gov

• Bettie Johnson, Associate Hub Director: bjohnson@healthcareaccessnow.org