Galloway, N.J. — The future of Black maternal health initiatives in New Jersey will be the subject of a hybrid panel discussion at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 at Stockton University’s Galloway campus.

The event is being held during Black Maternal Health Week and is sponsored by Stockton’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy in Campus Center Meeting Room 5. Trina Gipson-Jones, a Stockton associate professor of Health Science, will moderate the discussion in person with Alyssa Maurice, assistant director and head of Research at the Hughes Center.

They will be joined by virtual panelists Lisa Asare, president and CEO of the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, and Nicole Vines, assistant professor of Black Studies at California State University, Channel Islands. 

Panelists will explore persistent inequities in health care, progress made in improving Black maternal and infant health outcomes, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in New Jersey under a new administration. The conversation will highlight policy-driven solutions and community-based strategies to help advance equitable care and better outcomes for families across the state. 

Refreshments and resources from local organizations will be provided. Doors will open at 4 p.m. The Hughes Center will accept essential baby items for donation to Family Success Centers of Atlantic County.

The event is free. There is a virtual viewing option, but attendees must register.