(b)

1. (1) As part of the initiative described in subdivision (a), the department shall develop a process to allocate funds to up to 15 local health jurisdictions and to work collaboratively with state and local Black Infant Health programs for the purpose of improving Black infant birth outcomes and reducing infant mortality.
2. (2) Participation in the initiative described in subdivision (a) is optional and local health jurisdictions that participate in the program shall agree to the terms of this article.

3. (3) Allocations made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be used by local health jurisdictions for any of the following purposes:

   1. (A) Creating a local grant program to develop local Community Centers of Excellence in perinatal health. Recipients of local grants shall be hospitals, federally qualified health centers, health centers that are closely related to federally qualified health centers, women’s health clinics, county clinics, clinics operated by a private nonprofit organization that qualifies under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, or community-based organizations that have demonstrated capacity to work with public health and health care systems as well as within the Black community. Recipients of local grants shall implement or expand at least two of the following:

      1. (i) An evidence-based or evidence-informed group prenatal care program that has shown promise in reducing the incidence of adverse birth outcomes and that includes, but is not limited to, improvement in health provider preterm birth screening and ongoing, risk-appropriate care for Black women to better identify and prevent preterm births.
      2. (ii) Pregnancy intentionality, preconception, and interconception care programs.
      3. (iii) Fatherhood or partnership initiatives that support engagement of partners in pregnancy and childbearing.
      4. (iv) Evidence-based or evidence-informed home visitation programs inclusive of case management to increase advocacy and empowerment for Black women and to ensure linkages to prenatal care, monitoring, life planning, birth spacing, infant development, and well-being.
      5. (v) A strategy that is not described in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive, that is justified based on local needs and resources, if a local health jurisdiction determines that the strategy combines social interventions with medical interventions, including integration of mental health services in perinatal health care and other wraparound services, including, but not limited to, assessment, personalized case management, doulas, patient navigator services that increase patient empowerment, and access to and utilization of evidence-based interventions that reduce preterm birth and infant mortality, and that the strategy is evidence-based or evidence-informed in relation to reducing adverse birth outcomes.
   2. (B) Providing technical assistance to recipients of local grants, and coordinating with local partners, such as hospitals, federally qualified health centers, health centers that are closely related to federally qualified health centers, county clinics, and other community-based organizations.
   3. (C) Carrying out local public awareness efforts around birth outcome inequities and the importance of preconception health, group prenatal care, evidence-based interventions to prevent preterm births, and social support during pregnancy, and to promote the role of fathers and partners as supports for women during and after pregnancy.
   4. (D) Participating in collaborative statewide learning efforts and sharing best practices.
   5. (E) Collecting and reporting data and information on process and outcome measures regarding the programs and activities carried out with allocated funds.