When a mother thrives, her child has a better chance to thrive. But in communities across the country, including Southeast Topeka, that opportunity is far from guaranteed. The challenges mothers face before, during, and after pregnancy are often rooted not just in biology, but in poverty, stress, systemic racism, and lack of access to coordinated care.
That’s why SENT Inc. is taking bold, data-driven steps to change the story.
With support from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), SENT has launched a 14-month Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage Pilot focused on strengthening maternal and infant health outcomes, especially for those most at risk. Through a one-stop-shop model grounded in neighborhood-based care, SENT is addressing health holistically: before birth, during pregnancy, and in the often-overlooked months after delivery.
And the need could not be more urgent.
The Data: A Crisis of Inequity
According to the CDC, in 2023 the Black infant mortality rate in the U.S. was 10.93 deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double that of White infants (4.48). American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants also faced elevated mortality rates at 9.20 per 1,000 live births (CDC, NVSR Vol. 74, No. 7, 2024).
In Shawnee County, the infant mortality rate is 7.7 deaths per 1,000 live births (2019–2023), a rate significantly higher than the Kansas state average of 5.7 and well above the national Healthy People 2030 target of 5.0. The disparities by race are even more staggering: Black/African American infants die at a rate of 19.3 per 1,000 live births, more than three times higher than White infants (5.3 per 1,000) and significantly higher than Hispanic infants (6.5 per 1,000). These numbers reflect systemic gaps in care and the urgent need for targeted, community-based intervention. The leading causes of infant death include preterm delivery, low birth weight, maternal health complications, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SENT’s maternal health work, supported by KDHE and Topeka Doula Project, directly addresses these issues through prenatal care, doula services, mental health support, food access, postpartum follow-up, and transportation assistance. Every mother we reach and every barrier we remove is a step toward changing these outcomes and saving lives.(Kansas Health Matters)
These disparities persist even when controlling for income, education, and insurance status, underscoring the deeper impact of structural racism, intergenerational trauma, and inequities in healthcare access (ASPE, 2024).
And it’s not just about the infants. Black and AI/AN women are 2 to 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women (ASPE, 2024).
These are not just statistics, they represent preventable tragedies, lost futures, and urgent calls for action.
SENT’s Holistic Model: Meeting Moms Where They Are
SENT’s approach isn’t just another program, it’s a comprehensive, community-rooted response that addresses the full spectrum of maternal and infant needs. Each element of the KDHE-funded grant plays a critical role in creating a safe and supportive environment for mothers and babies:
1. Southside Wellness Clinic
The Southside Wellness Clinic offers accessible, affordable health services including:
- Well-woman exams
- Routine lab testing (including STD testing)
- Flu vaccines
- Blood pressure checks
This direct access to care is essential. National data show that mothers who begin prenatal care late, or not at all, have more than double the risk of infant death compared to those who receive early care (10.75 vs. 4.54 deaths per 1,000 live births) (CDC, NVSR Vol. 73, No. 3, 2024).
2. Doula & Wraparound Services for Expectant Moms
SENT has partnered with the Topeka Doula Project to provide expectant mothers with a deeply supportive system including Doula care throughout pregnancy and delivery, and:
- Massage/stretch therapy (via Randy White)
- Chiropractic care
- Occupational therapy
- Mental health support
- A future movement class focused on physical wellness and joy
Evidence shows doula programs lead to lower c-section rates, increased breastfeeding, and greater satisfaction with the birth experience (ASPE, 2024).
And while this intensive wraparound support is focused on mothers, the learnings and structure developed through this pilot will extend far beyond them, informing best practices and systems-level improvements across the neighborhood.
3. Mental Health, Therapy, Neurofeedback & SUD Services
More than 1 in 5 birthing people experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (ASPE, 2024). Left unaddressed, these conditions can worsen health outcomes for both mother and child.
SENT’s onsite mental health team provides:
- Traditional therapy
- Trauma-informed therapy and case management
- Neurofeedback therapy
- Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services
These services are crucial in helping mothers not only survive, but recover and rebuild during one of the most vulnerable seasons of life.
4. Southside Filling Station & mRelief (SNAP Screening)
Nutrition is fundamental to maternal and infant health, but poverty and food insecurity make it hard for many families to meet even basic dietary needs.
Through the Southside Filling Station, families can access:
- Healthy food options through our client choice pantry
- mRelief SNAP screening, helping families determine eligibility for food assistance in just minutes
WIC participation, a proxy for nutritional support, is associated with lower infant mortality among Black and Hispanic women (CDC, NVSR Vol. 73, No. 3, 2024), underscoring the importance of food access as a life-saving intervention.
5. Transportation Assistance (People Mover)
What good is care if you can’t get there?
Transportation remains one of the most cited barriers to accessing prenatal appointments, therapy, and postpartum support. SENT helps eliminate that barrier by offering transportation support to SENT appointments through:
- Our Shared People Mover Van/Bus
- Bus Vouchers
- Rideshare Support (Uber/Lyft)
This ensures that access isn’t dictated by zip code or car ownership.
A Vision for Systemic Change
SENT’s work is not just about direct services, it’s about building a replicable model for scalable, equitable maternal health. Every ride provided, every doula-supported birth in partnership with Topeka Doula Project, every visit to the Filling Station becomes part of a story of transformation.
“This work is not just about pregnancy. It’s about protecting mental health, building resilience, and creating systems that see the whole person. When we do that, we don’t just change outcomes, we change generations.”
— Johnathan Sublet, Executive Director, SENT Inc.
Every mother deserves to feel seen, supported, and safe.
And every baby deserves the healthiest possible start.
Sources:
- MCH Evidence Center – Evidence-Based Strategies for Maternal and Child Health
https://www.mchevidence.org/ - CDC – Infant Mortality by Selected Maternal Characteristics and Race and Hispanic Origin in the United States, 2019–2021
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 73, No. 3
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-03.pdf - CDC – Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2021 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 73, No. 10
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/NVSR73-10.pdf - CDC – Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2022 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 74, No. 7
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr74-07.pdf - CDC – Deaths: Final Data for 2022
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 74, No. 8
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr-74-08.pdf - ASPE – Maternal and Infant Health: Strengthening Community-Based Approaches (February 2024)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
https://georgetown.app.box.com/s/htqhavw29d4vsr2axv8inkk21gvn62yg - Kansas Health Matters – Shawnee County Infant Mortality Rate (2025) – https://www.kansashealthmatters.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=1364&localeId=1028