Community Voice: Palm Beach

Community Voice is a grassroots program that teaches residents about prenatal health in an effort to reduce Black infant mortality and improve birth outcomes. The Community Voice program aims to support behaviors that promote healthy pregnancies by motivating people and encouraging lifestyle changes. The program trains residents to become "Lay Health Advisors" through a series of five classes that address a variety of health concerns, including SIDS, preterm labor, and early prenatal care. Community Voice participants engage community members and spread positive health education information through Town Hall meetings, churches, civic organizations, community events, and other local venues.

This program is locally funded by Children Services Council of Palm Beach County.

Community Voice is a grassroots program that utilizes community residents to provide factual perinatal information throughout the community in an effort to reduce African American infant mortality.

Lay Health Advisors have made thousands of community contacts and exchanges of perinatal health information in their communities. The program has led to a substantial increase in knowledge among participants, as demonstrated through pre- and post-program test results. Additionally, Lynchburg and Danville, Virginia, two cities that created the program, experienced lower infant mortality rates following program implementation.