Lucinda’s House expands maternal health work in WMass
Lucinda Canty says she has no time for foolishness.
Canty is a mother, certified nurse‑midwife, educator and researcher on a mission to improve health outcomes for families of color. Her organization, Lucinda's House, recently received three grants to support maternal health programs in Western Massachusetts.
Canty said one of the grants is a partnership with Springfield Family Doula Services to continue community‑engaged work. She said the two groups collaborate and share resources while responding to disparities they see in patient care.
With the temporary closing of Mercy Medical Center's labor and delivery unit, Canty said many families are struggling to find providers they trust. The funding will help Lucinda's House meet with residents to learn what they want from their care and what makes them feel seen and heard.
The plan includes community conversations and by pop‑up clinics offering blood pressure checks and other screenings. Events will be held in Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and the Pittsfield area. Canty and Springfield Family Doula Services will meet in the spring and hope to involve public health departments in offering maternal and child health services.
"I am trying to change the way we talk to people and do research," Canty said.
She said community voices must guide the work.
"I just want people to know in the community that their information is valuable," she said, "and the only way we are going to make changes is if they use their voices to influence change."
Canty said the clinics will provide food and giveaways to draw people in.
"We are just trying to do things different," she said. "We don't want to make it like we know more because we are researchers. … We really want to know what it is you want so we know what we can do to make things better."
Canty is leading two research proposals on preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that involves high blood pressure. It's a condition she has long been concerned about as a nurse and a midwife.
"People don't realize that it is not just blood pressure or swollen ankles," she said. Preeclampsia can affect the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and involve blood clotting. Early detection can prevent complications, but Canty said many Black women experience delays.
She said Black women are more likely to die from the condition.
Her research documents patient experiences and reviews medical records to compare symptoms, timing and treatment responses.
"We think there are symptoms that are not associated with preeclampsia that could be associated," Canty said.
She is also studying barriers affecting care, such as the distance from hospitals.
"We're not just doing surface work," Canty said. "We are really going in to get a deep understanding … and what is in the health care system that makes it so that we are not getting the care we need."
Canty has three manuscripts accepted for publication and two more in progress. She also launched a mentoring initiative for midwifery students of color, with more than 30 students attending monthly virtual meetings for support.
Lucinda Canty, the founder and director of Lucinda's House, is expanding maternal health programs in Western Massachusetts with new grants, community pop‑up clinics, preeclampsia research and support for midwifery students of color. (Submitted photo)courtesy
Canty said the nation's health system affects who can enter the field. She pointed to what she described as a "downgrade of nurses' professionalism" under the Trump administration, which said last year it was moving to reclassify nursing degrees to say they were non-professional. She said the change harms a female-dominated profession and allows the field to be more heavily controlled.
She said that when nursing is treated as less of a profession, students may lose access to loans they need for school.
This especially affect students of color, who face financial barriers and are more likely to need school loans, according to Canty.
Canty is a student of the history of Black midwifery. Midwives of color and immigrant midwives once delivered most babies, particularly in the South, she said. Over time, racial discrimination and the expansion of nursing programs pushed traditional midwives out, even though they provided safe care.
Canty said today's midwifery and nursing students of color still face bias and isolation in classrooms and clinical placements. Her support group helps students navigate issues ranging from unfair treatment to bullying.
Her vision for maternal health in Western Massachusetts centers on respectful care, trusted providers and real choices for families — including access to midwives, doctors, doulas and home birth options. She said patients should have their concerns taken seriously and not feel rushed or dismissed.
Canty hopes the coming community events will help families connect, learn about safe pregnancy care and help shape programs that meet their needs.
More information is available at lucindashouse.org .
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