Indiana's infant mortality rates have improved. Could cuts to public health stall progress?

Indiana's infant mortality numbers fell to a historic low in 2024, but still tracks above the national average. 

Health officials last month discussed how to continue improving those numbers. 

Last year, Indiana reported 6.3 infant deaths for every 1,000 births. The national infant mortality rate is lower, at about 5.6, but Indiana's numbers represent the best rate the state has seen since officials started tracking it more than a century ago. 

During a Statehouse meeting with health officials in September, lawmakers asked how the state can keep improving. 

State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver said it's crucial that state initiatives focus on the needs of individual communities. 

"We know that often when there is not a delivery center, we know that those are the areas we're worried about having access to prenatal care as well," Weaver said. 

Some lawmakers repeatedly raised concerns that the decision to cut public health funding to local health departments could undermine the state's progress. 

The program was initially allocated about $225 million. Those funds could be used on a variety of programs by local health departments, many of them focused on maternal and child health. 

Those programs aimed to improve accessibility for things like donated milk, ultrasound appointments, and education for parents. 

"These very individualized directed programs make a difference not only for that family, but they also move the big needle," Weaver said.

But the final version of the state budget slashed the $100 million set aside for the program to just $40 million. 

Weaver said that means programs will need to be scaled back or cut. 

Representative Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) said during the committee hearing she's worried the reduction in funding will hurt the state's progress. 

"I hate to see that cut," Shackleford said. "I think it is going to greatly affect our numbers that we were just now getting down."

Contact Health Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org