Community members are pushing back to save their access to maternal care. Jackson Health announced their intention to close their maternity unit in October 2025 to better align with the current needs of the community. However, a circulating petition with over 1,773 signatures paints a clear picture: our community desires accessible maternal healthcare.
Jackson South provides more than immediate maternal care to the local area. The unit works to bridge the education gap for new parents by providing lactation consults, breastfeeding classes, and parenting classes. Black and Brown parents deserve to have access to these resources in order to provide the needed care for their children.
Currently, patients going to Jackson South “struggle with transportation as is” according to the circulating petition. Removing the unit will “increase expectant mothers’ travel and cost, while also delaying care” in an already vulnerable community.
The Women’s Hospital at Jackson North Medical Center and Jackson Memorial are “at least 20 miles further” than Jackson South—a life changing, and costly, distance. The financial strain associated with this change will be felt by expecting parents immediately. Transportation is already a major barrier for low-income families in South Dade. Adding long travel times and costs to an already stressful situation could have dangerous consequences, from delayed care to increased maternal health risks.
Community members are showing up for Jackson South and have many concerns. On the petition, Faith, a retired employee of the unit , asks if there’s “another resolve than to close the entire unit?” Organizers behind the petition are asking the public to stand in solidarity by adding their names and sharing the message: Keep our maternity unit open. The goal is to push back against a decision that would disproportionately harm mothers in underserved communities who already face higher rates of maternal complications.
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