Past Event
Hands That Rock the Cradle: Expanding Policies to Protect Black Maternal and Infant Healthâ Maternal and Infant Health Policy Summit
The summit, held in commemoration of the Maternal Health Month, shined a spotlight on the pressing health disparities facing Black mothers and infants, discussing the why and how behind the stark statistics that Black women and infants are significantly more likely to die during childbirth than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. It included panel discussions and several personal testimonies from attendees. The event was keynote by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood - Co-founder, Black Maternal Health Caucus
Highlighted Successes
- Formation and growth of the Black Maternal Health Caucus in Congress, now one of the largest bipartisan caucuses.
- Development and introduction of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a comprehensive package of bills addressing various aspects of maternal health.
- Increased funding for maternal health initiatives, including $100 million secured in the 2024 federal funding package for Momnibus priorities.
- Expansion of Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum in 44 states.
- Establishment of the IMPROVE initiative at NIH for maternal health research.
- Passage of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, focusing on maternal care for veterans.
- Increased awareness and public discourse on Black maternal health issues.
Action Items
- Support the complete passage of Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act
- Push for the remaining states to adopt 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage.
- Advocate for increased reimbursement rates for maternal care providers, especially midwives and doulas.
- Support initiatives to increase the number of Black healthcare providers, particularly in obstetrics and gynecology, and advocate for funding and support for HBCU medical programs and scholarships for students of color entering healthcare fields.
- Advocate for improved maternal health data collection, especially data disaggregated by race and ethnicity and support increased funding for research on Black maternal health at NIH and other institutions.
- Advocate for integration of Community-based care models into mainstream healthcare systems.
- Support policies that address housing, nutrition, and environmental factors affecting maternal health.
- Implicit Bias Training: Push for mandatory implicit bias training for all healthcare providers involved in maternal care.
- Advocate for policies that protect reproductive rights and access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare.
- Continue to raise awareness about Black maternal health disparities.
- Advocate for equitable access to telehealth and digital health resources and support the development and implementation of technologies that can improve maternal health outcomes.
- Encourage cross-sector collaborations to address maternal health holistically
List of Speakers and Panelists
Remarks given by:
- Dr. Roland Thorpe - Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity, Johns Hopkins University
- Nicole Austin-Hillary - President and CEO, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Panel Session
- Dr. Yolanda Lawson - President, National Medical Association
- Dr. Kanika Harris - Director of Black Maternal and Child Health, Black Women's Health Imperative
- Dr. Dora Hughes - Acting Chief Medical Officer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Dr. Jamila Perritt - President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health
- Moderator: Suzanne Malveaux, Award-winning journalist
Fireside Chat
- Dr. Joia Crear-Perry - Founder, National Birth Equity Collaborative
- Linda Wilson - Leader, Fund II Foundation
- Dr. Lauren Parker - Associate Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Moderator)
- Moderator: Suzanne Malveaux, Award-winning journalist
Keynote Speaker
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood - Co-founder, Black Maternal Health Caucus