Milwaukee Launches Plan to Close Birth Outcome Gaps
The four-year strategic plan targets racial disparities in infant deaths by 2030, backed by a $100,000 federal grant.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Babies
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The Milwaukee Health Department released a four-year strategic plan on November 11, 2026, aimed at reducing racial disparities in birth outcomes by 2030. The plan was funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters
Milwaukee sees an average of 78 infant deaths per year, and Black infants are three times more likely to die than white infants in the city. Late prenatal care was listed as a factor in almost one in three infant deaths in the 2019-2022 Fetal Infant Mortality Review.
The plan was developed over nine months and drew on input from more than 30 individuals, groups and organizations, and the city is aiming for three to five partner agreements. Measurable targets have not yet been set, so the plan's progress cannot yet be tracked against numbers.
The players
Milwaukee Health Department
The city agency responsible for public health programs and services in Milwaukee, which authored the plan and received the federal grant to fund it.
Mike Totoraitis
A Milwaukee public official quoted in connection with the city's effort to address infant mortality and birth outcome disparities.
Rosamaria Martinez
A Milwaukee public official involved in the city's health initiatives and the strategic plan's development.
The details
The health department modeled its approach on a Baltimore initiative that closed racial gaps and reduced infant deaths by 35%. Milwaukee's plan calls for groups and organizations to enter into agreements to work together, but it currently makes broad statements about improving maternal health rather than setting specific targets.
Timeline
2019-2022: Period covered by the Fetal Infant Mortality Review data cited in the plan.
November 11, 2026: Four-year strategic plan released.
Next year: Improvements to care coordination and navigation planned.
Early 2027: Measurable targets expected to be established.
Two years from release: Updated implementation guidance to be issued.
Legacy Model
Milwaukee's plan adopts the approach of Baltimore's initiative, which reduced infant deaths by 35% and closed racial gaps in birth outcomes. Unlike that program, Milwaukee's plan has not yet committed to specific measurable targets, leaving its results uncertain for now.
Milwaukee families expecting babies may see expanded care coordination and navigation services in the coming year as the health department and its partners make improvements. Expectant parents are encouraged to pay attention to early and consistent prenatal care, which the city identifies as a factor in nearly one in three infant deaths.
The takeaway
Consistent prenatal care is one of the few factors the city has tied directly to infant deaths, making early visits a practical priority for expectant families. The plan's success will depend on whether Milwaukee follows through with the measurable targets it has not yet set.
What happens next
Measurable targets for the plan are expected to be established in early 2027, and updated implementation guidance is slated for release in two years.
Further reading
For more on infant health trends in the city, explore the Babies section.
Live Poll
Do you trust Milwaukee's health department to reduce infant deaths by 2030?
