Kennedy-King College Launches New Midwifery Program to Address Illinois Maternal Health Disparitiesn (Chicago, IL) – Kennedy-King College is partnering with the Black Midwifery Collective to launch a new associate degree program designed to prepare students for careers as licensed certified professional midwives in Illinois.
The Licensed Certified Professional Midwifery program is open to everyone and is intended to help address the state’s maternal health challenges by expanding access to culturally responsive, community-based care.
The program’s midwifery core courses will take approximately six semesters to complete following one semester of prerequisite coursework. The first midwifery core courses are scheduled to begin in spring 2027 at Kennedy-King College.
The partnership comes as Illinois continues to confront significant disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among Black women.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 91% of maternal deaths among Black women in Illinois were determined to be preventable. Officials and program organizers say the statistics highlight the need for expanded maternal health services and a more diverse workforce of trained midwives.
“This groundbreaking midwifery program empowers our community to directly address the inequities in Black maternal and infant health across Illinois,” said Kennedy-King College President Katonja Webb Walker. “By equipping birthing individuals with expanded, culturally responsive care, we are actively fulfilling Kennedy-King Colleges’ commitment to transform lives through exceptional education.”
Walker also credited the Black Midwifery Collective for its partnership in developing the program.
“This new program in partnership with Kennedy-King College is a collective celebration of real, tangible, community-based solutions built for ourselves that benefit everyone,” said Star August, executive director of the Black Midwifery Collective.
August said prioritizing Black maternal health is essential to addressing systemic disparities and improving outcomes for families and communities.
“When we invest in the well-being of Black mothers, we ultimately strengthen the foundational health, stability, and future of entire communities,” August said.
Kennedy-King College is also converting an existing classroom into a simulation laboratory to support the new program. The facility will include a birth center room and two examination rooms equipped with new simulation equipment.
Students interested in the program must first successfully complete 12 prerequisite college credits in English 101, Math 118 and Biology 121.
The official program launch announcement is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 25, at Kennedy-King College, 740 W. 63rd St. in Chicago. Doors will open to the public at 9 a.m., with the program beginning at 10 a.m. CST.
To become licensed as a midwife in Illinois, students must complete an accredited midwifery program and apply for state licensure through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
For more information about the program, prospective students can call 773-COLLEGE or email info@blackmidwiferycollective.org.
The Black Midwifery Collective is a South Side Chicago-based nonprofit organization that works to improve health outcomes for Black birthing individuals and address maternal and infant health disparities. The organization focuses on increasing racial diversity among community midwives and addressing systemic inequities in maternity care.
Kennedy-King College, part of City Colleges of Chicago, provides education and workforce training to students throughout the city. City Colleges is currently enrolling students for 12- and 8-week classes beginning Sept. 21 and Oct. 19, respectively.
Kennedy-King College Launches New Midwifery Program to Address Illinois Maternal Health Disparities
