Peter Leahy

When it comes to the deaths of babies before their first birthdays, Stark County was one of the worst counties in one of the worst states in the nation. But the latest figures show that is changing, especially when it comes to narrowing the huge gap between the deaths of African American and white infants. A crucial component of the change is the widespread use of community health workers, the bridge for mothers like Latasha Mathews. She’s 26, a first-time mom, and, as she acknowledges, the nervous sort. Ten-month-old Sophia is her delight and her worry.