WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray is heading to New York to talk about the District’s efforts to reduce infant mortality.

Gray is participating in the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in Manhattan on Monday. The mayor and leaders of the nonprofit group hope that the city’s program to reduce infant deaths can be a model for cities around the country.

The District’s infant mortality rate is 7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, well above the national average of 6.05. The United States has higher infant mortality rates than most developed countries.

The District government has hired a consulting firm to launch a program that will use analytics and improve clinical practices to reduce infant deaths in the nation’s capital.

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