Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Polston. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Roots Community Birth Center was founded by Rebecca Polston CPM, LM, in 2015 to make community birth accessible to all families. Rebecca’s prior career as a community organizer contributed to the framework of Roots to build up the community around pregnant folks and create actionable change in their lives during pregnancy. Over the years, Roots has expanded to include primary care for anyone with a uterus, parent groups, and community access, and has welcomed 400+ babies in our space. Our goal is to have healthy, full-term, empowered pregnancies. This is achieved through community and by disrupting the mainstream medical system and its maternity/pregnancy care approach.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Providing anti-racist medical care in a maternity care setting is not a smooth road. Our biggest hurdles have been, and are, internalized racism in our culture and abysmal Medicaid reimbursement rates. Roots is the first and only African American-owned accredited birth center in Minnesota – there are now three in the country as of last week (2/28/24). Rebecca has faced numerous challenges owning and operating a birth center in North Minneapolis, which is a historically divested neighborhood. Additionally, MN Medicaid reimbursement rates have not gone up since 2011, effectively leaving most MA providers in the red, due to the needs of her community and the financial needs of the practice, Rebecca has had to be innovative in seeking out grant funding and other revenue sources for the training.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Roots provides prenatal, postpartum, labor and birth, newborn, and well-person care in North Minneapolis from a team of midwives. We focus on anti-racist, trauma-informed, and evidence-based care, centering community and the birthing person at the center of their own pregnancy or life experience. We are most well known for being the only African American-owned birth center in MN and, until quite recently, being the only community-based birth center not to have a BMI cut-off for our clientele! What sets us apart from others is our staff and our deep belief in community. Babies born at Roots are truly family, and we have the great joy of supporting people through their many life phases – not just the singular birthday!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Be vulnerable and open to critique. You likely can’t only have a good mentor if you are a good mentee. As in-person networking events begin to happen more often, go to them! Be bold enough to say hello and use your voice.
Pricing:
- We are in network with all major insurance carriers including MN State Insurance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rootsbirthcenter.com/
- Instagram: @rootsbirthcenter
Image Credits
Gather Birth Photography (for all photos)
