Detroit Evening Report: Detroit crime down, new program to improve maternal health + more

Continue tonight The Detroit Evening ReportWe report on reducing crime in the city of Detroit, Michigan, doctors reducing maternal mortality rates, and much more.

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Crime is down in Detroit

Detroit and federal officials are emphasizing using American Rescue Plan Act funds to reduce crime in the city. Mayor Mike Duggan said investing the money in things like helicopters and highway cameras has helped reduce drag racing and shootings on highways.

White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden was given a tour of Detroit helicopters, reconnaissance vehicles and the Real Time Crime Center on Tuesday. She says she was thrilled that Detroit used ARPA funds in a strategic way.

“We've really encouraged states, localities and cities to use these dollars to make investments to keep people safe,” Tanden said. “And a lot of communities have done that, but Detroit has really been a leader in leveraging those dollars.”

Since 2021, the number of murders in Detroit has decreased by 30 percent.

New program to improve maternal health

A group of Michigan's leading maternal health doctors asked themselves a big question: How best to reduce the state's maternal and infant mortality rates? Their answer is a new program open to all pregnant women in Michigan. It's called SOS Motherhood.

Physician Sonia Hassan of Wayne State's Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine helped lead the effort. She says the program will provide standardized maternal health interventions across many of Michigan's leading health care providers. But she says it also eliminates other common barriers to care, such as a lack of transportation.

“(Transportation) is the number one cause of women not being able to get to the hospital or clinic for their visits. For many people it is a real struggle. That’s why we’re going to offer this to everyone.”

Dr. Hassan says each SOS Maternity participant also receives a “patient navigator” to help them manage all aspects of their care.

Trips to choose from

A group of nonpartisan groups are offering residents discounted and free rides to polling stations. This comes after a ban on renting transport to polling stations was lifted in October last year.

• The ride-sharing company Lyft is offering a 50 percent discount on a ride to or from polling stations with the code VOTE24.
• The Detroit Bus Company offers free rides on its buses and with volunteers in their own cars in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck.
• The SMART bus system will offer free rides all day on November 5th.
• The Detroit Almunae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority also provides free transportation services during the early voting period and on Election Day.

For a complete list of organizations offering rides, visit MichiganVoting.org.

Detroit poet releases new book

A new book takes traditional nursery rhymes and reinterprets them to address issues affecting Black communities. Poems like “One, two buckle my shoe” are reinterpreted as “One, two, no sudden moves.”

The poems address themes such as racial violence, activism and social justice. The book, titled “One, Two, No Sudden Moves,” was written by Detroit native Rhonda Greene. A free book launch and exhibition will be held at the Northwest Gallery of Arts in Detroit on Thursday, November 7, at 5:30 p.m. The event includes a live reading and the opportunity to meet the artists who provided illustrations for the book.

Diwali in Detroit

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, begins today! The annual festival symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Numerous events will be held across the Detroit area to celebrate, including a fireworks display in West Bloomfield at the Sri Balaji Temple at 3325 Middlebelt Road at 6 p.m.

WDET's Nargis Rahman contributed to this report.

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