Join us in lighting the way to one for more Ohio babies.
Save the Date
Infant Vitality Advocacy Day
September 29, 2026 • Ohio Statehouse
Too many babies in Ohio never reach their first birthday, with social, economic and environmental factors significantly impacting their ability to thrive.
Our state’s most precious and vulnerable residents can’t advocate for better outcomes themselves, which is why First Year Cleveland convenes infant vitality advocates every September to meet with lawmakers and advance policies that support babies, mothers and families. Together with our founding partners, CelebrateOne Columbus, Cradle Cincinnati, and the Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality (OCPIM), we illuminate the way to more first birthdays for our babies.
But advocacy work isn’t a one-day-a-year commitment. And it’s not just for those working in the health care or nonprofit space. Advocacy is a year-round calling for anyone who cares about Ohio’s babies and families. YOU have the power to effect change by showing up, speaking out and sharing your stories.
This website is meant to serve as a resource for those interested in joining us as we advocate for lasting change.
What We’re Advocating For
We are advocating for the vitality of Ohio’s babies and families–for every baby in Ohio to celebrate their first birthday.
We want to see public policies that support and advance the conditions necessary for babies to thrive–conditions grounded in responsive health care, community support and systemic change.
We focus our advocacy on issues like maternal mental health, economic stability and housing access–factors that can prevent infant mortality, or death in children under the age of one.
Maternal Mental Health
Maternal Mental Health
Ohio needs more mental health providers and better reimbursement systems to support the mental health of mothers.
Economic Stability
Economic Stability
Pending cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other federal support programs will disproportionately impact Ohio families who are already struggling. This has a direct impact on the health of babies and families.
Housing Access
Housing Access
Across the state, communities are plagued by housing shortages and rising housing costs, which are especially challenging for low-income families. In Cuyahoga County, half of CMHA Housing Choice Voucher holders cannot secure housing.
Meet Our Policy Committee
First Year Cleveland’s Policy Committee includes members representing the following organizations:
- Bright Beginnings
- Center for Community Solutions
- Cleveland Clinic
- Cleveland Department of Public Health
- Collaborate Cleveland
- Cuyahoga County Board of Health
- Cuyahoga County, Office of the County Executive
- Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Diaper Bank of Greater Cleveland
- Fatherhood Initiative, Cuyahoga Job & Family Services
- Foundation Management Services
- Greater Cleveland RTA
- Gund Foundation
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- MetroHealth Hospital System
- Mt. Sinai Health Foundation
- Neighborhood Leadership Institute
- Pregnant with Possibilities Resource Center
- Saint Luke’s Foundation
- University Hospitals
- YWCA of Greater Cleveland
Why Advocate
Your voice matters.
Lawmakers cannot know everything about every issue.
They rely on residents to inform them about what’s important and why.
The issues that demand the most attention, through emails, phone calls, letters, and meetings, are the ones most often advanced in the legislative cycle.
Get Involved
Check back here often for opportunities to lend your voice, share your story and support more first birthdays. And be sure to subscribe for updates to receive event invitations and advocacy calls to action.
Resources
Advocacy 101 Video
Check out this Instagram reel from Queens Village, Columbus featuring Groundwork Ohio’s Dominique Johnson to explain why policy advocacy at the state level is such an important and powerful tool for residents to help activate changes in our systems.
How to Find Your Local Lawmakers
For the Ohio state legislature, you can find your representatives and senators at legislature.ohio.gov. Click on “Who Represents Me?” and search by your location.
What are social drivers of health?
How do outcomes in Ohio compare to other states?
What is advocacy and why is it important?
Advocacy can be defined as any activity, including media campaigns, public speaking and commissioned research, that aims to educate and influence policymakers at the local, state and national levels to consider policies that can address certain problems. The advocacy we are undertaking is different from formal lobbying, which is a type of advocacy where a direct approach is made to legislators on a specific piece of legislation. There are strict legal and IRS rules for nonprofits related to lobbying. Infant Vitality Advocacy Day is an opportunity to educate legislators about infant vitality and inspire them to consider policies that are supportive of infant vitality in the future. Advocacy is important because it helps give voice to those who may not otherwise be heard and can lead to real and lasting change.
How can I find infant vitality data about my region?
First Year Cleveland hosts a wealth of data on conditions in Cuyahoga County on its website. The Ohio Department of Health has county level infant mortality data and an infant mortality scorecard that can be viewed by county or OCPIM region. This report from Groundwork Ohio looks at infant vitality at the state level over a 10-year period.
Recommended Reading
Subscribe to our advocacy updates and sign up for newsletters from some of our partners to stay informed about issues relating to infant and maternal health in Ohio.
Lighting the Way
Across Ohio
2025 marked the third year for Infant Vitality Advocacy Day, and momentum continues to build! In 2025, more than 75 people from 30+ organizations from 11 counties met with lawmakers at the Statehouse to champion policies that will help Ohio babies and families thrive.
Founding Partners
Ohio Collaborative for the Prevention of Infant Mortality (OCPIM)
First Year Cleveland
Celebrate One Columbus
Cradle Cincinnati
