Last month, Minnesota legislators discussed a pressing maternal mortality crisis that is primarily affecting Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Lawmakers discussed Senate File 3511, which would require county-based Medicaid health plans to cover prenatal, maternity, and postnatal care during a Senate Health and Human Services Committee meeting earlier this month. SF 3511 … Read more
The Tennessee Senate Government Operations Committee favorably recommended a bill that would establish the Tennessee Maternal Health Equity Advisory Committee Act on Wednesday. Senate Bill 1832, sponsored by Sen. London Lamar (D – Memphis), is now pending in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “The Tennessee Maternal Health Equity Advisory Committee … is a … Read more
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently released its State Health Assessment (SHA) and State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) as required by law, which combine to form the Healthy Illinois 2028 initiative. IDPH used the SHA to evaluate the program’s overall issues and successes after the completion of Healthy Illinois 2021. The SHA influenced … Read more
Maternal health leaders discussed the struggles they face in the field and ways to improve access at the 2023 Tennessee State of Reform conference last month. Judith Nowlin, chief executive officer of Nest Collaborative and moderator of the panel, opened with some statistics. “Over the past 15 years, maternal mortality has doubled in our nation,” … Read more
The California Black Women’s Health Project (CABWHP), a statewide nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of Black women, is continuing the fight to address medical racism and emphasize that Black women are able to have joyous births amidst a nationwide Black maternal and infant mortality crisis. Raena Granberry, senior manager of Maternal and … Read more
New reports document the challenges Floridians face while seeking maternal healthcare, and provide opportunities to improve maternal outcomes. The March of Dimes released the Where You Live Matters: Maternity Care in Florida report on Aug. 1st. The report presents data on several maternal factors, including levels of maternity care access and maternity care … Read more
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DHSH) confirmed this week it has initiated review of maternal mortality cases from 2020 and into early 2021, spanning the beginning and peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (TMMMRC) is scheduled to conduct its next meeting on September 8th … Read more
Maternal health experts discussed the disparities Black women face in accessing care, as well as efforts to address them at the 2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference last week. Michigan Council for Maternal & Child Health Executive Director Amy Zaagman said Black and brown women in the state are three times … Read more
Healthcare professionals are working to improve Black maternal health, curb food insecurities, and provide financial assistance for housing to address the social needs of Floridians. They discussed these initiatives at the Florida State of Reform Health Policy Conference on Thursday. Health Foundation of South Florida President and CEO Loreen Chant said the foundation recently issued … Read more
The Colorado Legislature adjourned its 74th General Assembly on Monday in what lawmakers are describing as a progressive session for healthcare reform. The legislature approved appropriations of $15.5 billion ($4.5 billion from general fund) to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), $2.3 billion ($1 billion from general fund) to the … Read more