About Mama Certified
Every mama deserves the best care
But factors including racism, unequal treatment, and differences in care mean Black mamas in Ohio are twice as likely to die from childbirth or lose a baby than mamas of other races.
Mama Certified was created by and for Black mamas to make hospital information easier for you to understand and compare.
Our quick guides and website show what pregnancy and birth care can look like at participating hospitals, how they are working to improve outcomes for Black families, and what to consider when choosing where to give birth.
Why Mama Certified Was Created
Mama Certified started with Black women in Cincinnati speaking their truth through Queens Village: they felt unheard, unseen, and unsafe during their birthing experiences.
Founded by Dr. Meredith Shockley Smith, Queens Village brings Black women together to reduce stress, process trauma, and build better outcomes for themselves and their babies. The data confirmed what they were already living. In Ohio, Black moms are 2 to 2.5 times more likely to experience life-threatening complications during childbirth than white moms, regardless of education or income.
Out of that community-led work, that lived experience, and that demand for something better, Mama Certified was born.
Who Mama Certified Is For
Mama Certified was built for Black mamas in Cincinnati who want clear information about their birthing options.
It is for mamas who want to:
- Be respected during pregnancy and birth
- Understand what care can look like before choosing a hospital
- Feel prepared, informed, and confident
You do not need medical knowledge to use these guides. You just need to know that you deserve to walk in prepared.
The Quick Guides and Complete Hospital Guides give you the information you need to compare your options, know what questions to ask, and prepare for your appointments — all in plain language, all for free.
How Mama Certified Works
Mama Certified is built on clear standards, annual review, and community partnership.
For those who want to understand how hospitals are evaluated, how information is verified, and how certification decisions are made, the overview below explains our process.
What Hospitals Commit To
- Recommit to the program and designate leaders to guide the work
- Submit documentation about how care is delivered and how outcomes are tracked
- Meet regularly with Queens Village Hospital Advisory Boards
- Participate in ongoing implementation meetings and cross-hospital collaboration
- Ensure staff complete Mama Certified training on maternal health disparities, systemic racism, and respectful care
Participation is not a one-time application. It is an ongoing partnership focused on measurable improvement and transparency.
What Mama Certified Measures
Mama Certified reviews four key areas of care using standardized criteria and required documentation:
Maternal Care
How mamas are cared for before, during, and after birth, including safety practices, respectful treatment, mental health support, postpartum follow-up, and doula support.
Infant Care
How hospitals support newborn health, feeding, monitoring, safe sleep practices, and equitable outcomes.
Community Care
How hospitals screen for basic needs, connect families to community resources, and partner with local organizations.
Program Participation and Continuous Improvement
How hospitals train staff, review data by race, address disparities, and work directly with Queens Village to improve policies and practices.
The emphasis is on documented systems, not marketing claims.
How Information Is Reviewed and Verified
- Hospitals are responsible for submitting complete and accurate documentation
- The Health Collaborative verifies submitted data using standardized methods
- Cradle Cincinnati reviews findings with clinical and programmatic expertise
- Queens Village Advisory Board reviews reporting tools from a community perspective
- Hospitals review and approve final reports before public publication
This layered review process ensures that certification reflects documented practices and verified data — not a hospital’s word alone.
What Certification Means—and What It Does Not Mean
Certification reflects the systems, practices, and accountability structures in place at the time of review.
Hospitals earn badge levels based on total points across all measures.
Hospital Badge Levels
Ally
Advocate
Leader
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does a badge guarantee my birth experience will be good?
A: A badge reflects the systems, practices, and accountability structures a hospital has committed to. It confirms real progress and effort. But it does not guarantee an individual birth experience or outcome, and it is not a replacement for conversations with your care team.
Q: What happens if a hospital earns a badge — do they keep it forever?
A: No. Certification is not a one-time stamp of approval. Hospitals recommit every year, resubmit documentation, and go through the same multi-step review process. Badge levels are updated annually. If a hospital stops participating or doesn’t meet standards, their certification is not renewed.
Q: Is Mama Certified a hospital ranking system?
A. No. Mama Certified is not a ranking of best to worst. It is a certification based on documented standards, community partnership, and continuous improvement. Badge levels reflect a hospital’s participation and progress.
Q: Who verifies the information hospitals submit?
A. Certification materials go through a multi-layer review involving The Health Collaborative, Cradle Cincinnati, and hospital leadership ensuring accuracy before anything is made public.
Q: How often is certification updated?
A: Annually. Reports reflect care provided during the previous calendar year. Badge levels and hospital guides are updated each year.