Photo Credit: Kamala Harris (Courtesy photo)
Addressing structural change to improve the birth outcomes of our Black and Brown communities means addressing policies. On March 10th, 2020, Senator Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Congresswoman Alma Adams introduced S.3424 - Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020 - to end preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the United States and close disparities in maternal health outcomes. Title II of the act that supports investments in community-based organizations to improve Black maternal health outcomes is named "Remembering Kira Johnson" in honor of Kira Dixon Johnson who died on April 13, 2016 during a routine c-section. Learn more about 4Kira4Moms.
Below is an excerpt from the Black Maternal Health Caucus' press release concerning the bill. We are excited to be following the bill's progress closely in order to keep our communities updated!
Background
In the richest nation on earth, moms are dying at the highest rate in the developed world – and the rate is rising. For as dire as the situation is for all women, the crisis is most severe for Black moms, who are dying at 3 to 4 times the rate of their white counterparts. To address the maternal health crisis in America, Congressional leaders have been fighting for critically important policies like 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage, investments in rural maternal health, the promotion of a diverse perinatal workforce, and the implementation of implicit bias trainings.
To build on this work, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Congresswoman Alma Adams, Senator Kamala Harris, and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus are introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus will fill gaps in existing legislation to comprehensively address every dimension of the Black maternal health crisis in America. The time to end preventable maternal mortality and close racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes is long overdue. Join us in taking urgent action to save our moms.
Bill Summary
The Black Maternal Health Momnibus is composed of nine individual bills sponsored by Black Maternal Health Caucus Members. The legislation will:
- Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition.
- Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women.
- Comprehensively study the unique maternal health risks facing women veterans and invest in VA maternity care coordination.
- Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternity care and support from people she can trust.
- Improve data collection processes and quality measures to better understand the causes of the maternal health crisis in the United States and inform solutions to address it.
- Invest in maternal mental health care and substance use disorder treatments.
- Improve maternal health care and support for incarcerated women.
- Invest in digital tools like telehealth to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas.
- Promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and continuity of health insurance coverage from pregnancy through labor and delivery and up to 1 year postpartum.
