Birth is not one story. It is many. At Haven, we support women, birthing people, and families across a wide range of experiences—whether you are seeking a low-intervention birth, navigating uncertainty, or simply wanting to feel heard, respected, and supported every step of the way.
Proudly supported by our Premier Community Partner, Health Justice Initiative.
About Haven Midwifery Collective
At Haven Midwifery Collective, we believe maternity care should be rooted in respect, choice, and community. Founded in 2019, Haven was created in response to the persistent disparities in maternal health outcomes and the limited access to out-of-hospital birth options in New York City. Our work is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: when people are given safe, evidence-based options and supported in their choices, families and communities thrive.
Our mission is to provide evidence-based, respectful care to pregnant and non-pregnant individuals by expanding access to meaningful options and promoting lifelong wellness. We envision a future where midwifery-led care is not an alternative, but an integrated and essential part of the healthcare system—where individuals and families are centered, heard, and supported throughout their care journey.
Haven’s strategy focuses on expanding access to community-based birth through the development of a midwifery-led birth center in New York City. While legislation has made this possible, structural barriers—particularly the Certificate of Need process—have slowed progress and limited availability. As a result, many families, especially those from underserved communities, continue to face restricted access to safe, supportive birth environments.
The COVID-19 pandemic made these gaps impossible to ignore. Hospitals became overwhelmed, support systems were restricted, and postpartum care was often minimal. Those with resources were able to seek alternatives, while many others were left without options. These challenges reinforced what we already knew: our system must evolve to better meet the needs of birthing people.
Haven is working to build that future. With approximately 10,000 births each month in New York City—and the majority considered low-risk—there is a clear opportunity to safely expand care beyond hospitals. By creating accessible birth centers, we can ensure that hospitals remain available for those who need higher-level care, while providing personalized, relationship-based care for those who do not.
Our model of care extends beyond birth. Haven provides a full continuum of services including prenatal, postpartum, lactation, primary care, and wellness support. We are also committed to education and workforce development, creating opportunities for midwives and nurses to learn, grow, and lead within a collaborative care model.
Equity is at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to addressing the systemic barriers that contribute to poor maternal health outcomes, particularly in Black and underserved communities. Through community engagement, culturally responsive care, and sustained investment in local solutions, we aim to create lasting change.
Haven Midwifery Collective is more than a care model—it is a movement to transform how care is delivered, experienced, and valued. We invite our community, partners, and supporters to join us in building a future where safe, respectful, and accessible maternity care is available to all.
Facebook page link Haven Midwifery Collective | New York NY | Facebook
Our Approach
We believe birth is both personal and powerful. Every person comes to pregnancy with their own history, needs, values, and questions. Our role is not to direct your experience, but to walk alongside you—offering guidance, clinical expertise, and care that adapts to you.
At Haven, care is built on relationships. We take time to listen, to understand what matters most to you, and to create a space where your voice leads.
What We Offer
Haven Midwifery Collective is working to create a birth center in New York City that provides safe, high-quality, and compassionate care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
We serve people who are low-risk for complications and seeking an out-of-hospital birth experience, while recognizing that birth does not always go as planned. If your path changes, we remain part of your care and support.
No matter your background, identity, or birth preferences—you belong here.
WHY MIDWIFERY
Midwifery care is rooted in the understanding that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes, and that people deserve care that is respectful, individualized, and grounded in trust.
What Makes Midwifery Different
Midwives focus not only on clinical outcomes, but on how you experience your care.
- Time to build real relationships
- Support for informed, shared decision-making
- Emphasis on emotional, physical, and cultural safety
- Continuity of care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum
Midwifery is not about one “right” way to give birth. It is about supporting you in making decisions that align with your needs and values.
A Range of Experiences Are Welcome
Some people come to midwifery care hoping for minimal intervention. Others are unsure what they want, or are navigating previous birth experiences, fears, or medical considerations.
All of these experiences are valid.
We support you whether your birth unfolds as expected or changes along the way. Our goal is that you feel informed, respected, and supported throughout.
Bloom & Breathe 5K 2026: Wellness In Motion
Join us as we walk, run, and breathe new life into maternal wellness. Every stride supports the creation of Haven’s future birth center
September 12, 2026 | Prospect Park | Join in person or virtually
As Haven Midwifery Collective enters the third year of its annual 5K fundraiser, the 2026 theme, “Bloom & Breathe,” marks both a celebration of progress and a reflection of patience.
This year’s concept symbolizes a milestone in the collective journey toward establishing a birth center — one that continues to grow through community support, advocacy, and shared care.
“Bloom & Breathe” captures this season of becoming: the balance between expansion and rest, purpose and patience. It acknowledges that growth is not instant; it unfolds over time, with trust and nurturing from everyone involved.
This year, we’re proud to welcome Health Justice Initiative as the Premier Community Partner of
the Haven 5K. Their commitment to health equity and community mobilization makes them a
natural extension of everything this race stands for, and their presence on the ground will help
us reach more families than ever before.
Your Voice
Helps Us Grow.
Be part of Haven’s journey as we grow toward opening New York’s next birth center. Receive updates, stories, and opportunities to get involved
Proudly supported by our Premier Community Partner, Health Justice Initiative.
Haven Midwifery will provide safe, quality, loving care through pregnancy, birth, and beyond to the New York City community.
Haven Midwifery certified midwives will be devoted to accompanying and supporting pregnant people through each stage of pregnancy, whether they are planning to welcome a new child to the world. Haven Midwifery will offer a safe, comfortable, out-of-hospital facility where healthy people in at a low risk for complications can give and experience birth naturally.
Meet Our Founder
Trinisha Williams
CM, LM, LCCE, FACCE, LC
Meet Trinisha Williams
Brooklyn, NY
What You’re Helping Build
Your support helps create a space where birth can unfold with both safety and autonomy. A place where:
- People can move freely, eat, rest, and labor in ways that feel right for their bodies ● Care is continuous, with midwives who know you and your story
- Families, partners, and chosen support people are welcomed and included ● Postpartum care continues—because support doesn’t end after birth
Haven will serve low-risk families seeking out-of-hospital birth in a setting that is calm, connected, and clinically grounded, with systems in place for collaboration and transfer if needed.
More than anything, you are helping build a space where people feel respected throughout their care.
Why Now
We are actively working to bring this birth center to life.
Building a new model of care requires not only vision but collective investment. Community support directly impacts how quickly this space can open its doors and begin serving families.
This is a moment to build something that does not yet exist in New York City—but is deeply needed.
A Different Kind of Birth Experience
Imagine entering birth feeling supported.
Imagine being listened to, informed, and respected.
Imagine leaving not only with your baby—but with your dignity intact.
That is what Haven is building.
BIRTH CENTER EXPERIENCE
A birth center offers a different kind of environment for labor and birth—one that is designed to feel calm, supportive, and centered around you and your family.
What You Can Expect
At Haven, the birth center experience is grounded in comfort, flexibility, and continuous support.
- Freedom to move, eat, and labor in ways that feel right to you
- A home-like setting that supports physiologic birth
- Continuous presence of a midwife who knows you
- Space for your support people to be involved in meaningful ways
Safety and Support
Birth centers are designed for people with low-risk pregnancies, with clear systems in place for consultation or transfer if needed. Planning for safety includes recognizing that birth can be unpredictable, and ensuring that you are supported through any transition in care.
Many Paths, One Goal
Some people give birth entirely within the birth center. Some need additional support or transfer to a hospital. What matters most is that you are cared for with respect, communication, and continuity throughout your experience.
After Birth
Care continues beyond delivery. We support you through the postpartum period with attention to recovery, feeding, emotional well-being, and the transition into parenthood.
At Haven, we are building more than a birth center.
We are creating a space where people feel seen, heard, and supported in one of life’s most important experiences.
Your story matters. Your experience matters. You belong here.
Our Leadership & Community Advisors (instead of using Board as currently listed )
These are the people—shaped by experience, values, and community—who are helping build a space where you belong
