RESOURCES
For Immediate Release: 6/10/2024 GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL
GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO EXPAND BRONX MATERNAL HEALTH CARE CENTER AND TAKES ACTION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO DOULAS
$8 Million Capital Commitment to Expand Healthcare Clinic With All-Inclusive and Integrated Programming, Including a Maternal Health Center of Excellence
New Standing Order Issued by NYS Commissioner of Health Expands Access to Doula Services Statewide
Roundtable Discussion Highlights New York’s First-in-the-Nation Prenatal Paid Leave Program and New Policy to Reduce Cost of Prenatal Care For Over a Million Low-Income New Yorkers
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced an $8 million capital commitment to help fund a project to expand a Morris Heights Health Center clinic, which will have all-inclusive and integrated programming and a maternal health Center of Excellence. The Governor announced the new funding while hosting a roundtable with Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, which included other elected officials and stakeholders to discuss ongoing efforts to improve infant and maternal health across the state and make prenatal care more accessible and affordable for New Yorkers. The Governor emphasized the importance of advancing these efforts in the Bronx, which has some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in New York State. During the roundtable, the Governor also announced that the State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued a standing order which will expand access to much-needed doula services for birthing parents across the state. Governor Hochul also highlighted that New York is now the first state in the nation to create a paid family leave program for prenatal care. New York has also made prenatal care more affordable for over a million low-income residents by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for certain pregnancy-related benefits for New Yorkers on the Essential Plan or Qualified Health Plans.
“As New York’s first mom Governor, taking on the infant and maternal mortality crisis is personal for me,” Governor Hochul said. “Being pregnant should not be a death sentence. My administration is making prenatal care more accessible and affordable for millions of New Yorkers, and we’re going to keep working every day to support healthy pregnancies for families across our state.”
Additional participants at the roundtable included Morris Heights Health Center President and CEO Mari Millet, Activist Bruce McIntyre III, BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres, Bronx Rebirth Collective Workers Nicole Jean Baptiste and Evelyn Álvarez, Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership Center Madeleine Dorval, Councilmember Pieriena Sanchez, Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia and Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero.
A CDC report recently found that in 2021 the infant mortality rate nationally was 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 2021, approximately 20,000 infants died in the United States, with the leading causes being birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, injuries and maternal pregnancy complications. A report from The Commonwealth Fund found that in 2022 there were approximately 22 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the U.S with Black women having the highest rates of mortality.
Funding to Expand Maternal Health Care at Morris Heights Health Center
Governor Hochul announced an $8 million capital commitment to Morris Heights Health Center. This funding will enable Morris Heights Health Center to expand its health care services in University Heights, including a maternal health Center of Excellence. The project will help increase access to affordable high-quality health care for local residents and improve health outcomes for underserved patient communities.
Morris Heights Health Center specializes in supporting vulnerable subpopulations, such as individuals living with HIV, pregnant people with socioeconomic challenges, people with chronic diseases including uncontrolled diabetes, older adults with comorbidities, and adolescents with psychosocial concerns. The center’s maternal health services include a midwife/doula model of care, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Maternal Health and Hope Coalition.
Expanding Access to Doulas
Today, the State Commissioner of Health issued a statewide standing order for doula services, expanding access for all birthing parents. The standing order – secured by Governor Hochul in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget – will allow more New Yorkers to access doula care because a recommendation for doula services is required in order to be eligible for Medicaid coverage. This standing order will serve as that recommendation. The standing order will also make it easier for birthing parents enrolled in other health plans to access doula care. Doulas provide physical, emotional, educational, and non-medical support for pregnant and postpartum individuals before, during, and after childbirth.
Despite continued efforts to reduce maternal mortality, especially among racial and ethnic minorities, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths is still far too high in New York State, especially among Black people who give birth. As of March 1, 2024, New York State Medicaid covers doula services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum people. To support access to services, the Department maintains a directory of doulas enrolled to provide covered services to Medicaid members, pursuant to legislation signed last year by Governor Hochul. Additionally, the Doula Expansion Grant Program, secured in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, will allow the Department to award $250,000 to community-based organizations for the recruitment, training, certification, support, and/or mentoring of community-based doulas.
Labor and delivery can present a high medical risk to pregnant persons and their newborn(s). Doula services will help to address the statewide crisis of racial and income-based maternal health disparities by providing culturally competent and comprehensive social, emotional, and physical support to clients during the prenatal, birthing, end of pregnancy and postpartum periods.
First-In-the-Nation Prenatal Paid Leave
By mandating a separate sick leave bank for prenatal care, Governor Hochul ensured that New York is going further than any other state to ensure pregnant individuals can receive the health care needed to create healthy outcomes for parent and child without jeopardizing employment.
When the policy takes effect on January 1, 2025, employees will receive an additional 20 hours of paid sick leave for prenatal care in addition to their existing sick leave.
This initiative builds on Governor Hochul’s previous actions to support new parents and improve maternal health outcomes. The FY 2024 Enacted Budget established 12 weeks of paid parental leave benefits to more than 80 percent of the state workforce and extended postpartum coverage for up to a full year for Medicaid and Child Health Plus enrollees.
Eliminating Out-Of-Pocket Costs
As part of the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, the Governor took steps to eliminate cost-sharing for certain pregnancy-related benefits, such as prenatal and postpartum visits, for those enrolled in the state’s Essential Plan or Qualified Health Plans.
The Essential Plan covers more than 1 million low-income New Yorkers, providing comprehensive benefits with $0 monthly premiums, no deductible, and low-cost sharing. It also includes free preventive care, adult vision, and dental care without cost-sharing.
Eligibility for the Essential Plan was limited to New Yorkers with incomes above Medicaid levels and up to 200 percent of FPL ($30,000 annual income for an individual). But through the recently approved 1332 State Innovation Waiver, the Essential Plan was expanded to include New Yorkers with incomes up to 250 percent of the FPL ($37,650 annual income for an individual), making the program available to an additional 100,000 New Yorkers once fully implemented. This includes nearly 70,000 New Yorkers enrolled in Qualified Health Plans who will now be eligible for significantly more affordable coverage through the Essential Plan, 12,000 DACA individuals currently enrolled in Medicaid/CHPlus, and approximately 20,500 currently uninsured New Yorkers.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Expanding access to potentially lifesaving resources, like doula services, can help advance health equity. Sadly, there are still health disparities in maternal health. Black people who give birth are more likely to die of pregnancy related complications than White people who give birth, and this is unacceptable. The Department, with the support of Governor Hochul, remains committed to addressing maternal health and eliminating barriers in healthcare so all people who give birth have safe pregnancies and deliveries.”
Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia said, "Governor Hochul's $8 million investment in Be Well @ Morris Heights Health Center, a new integrated health center in the Bronx, is a testament to her commitment in improving maternal health and ensuring the well-being of disadvantaged communities. The Morris Heights neighborhood and surrounding areas suffer from significant maternal and child health disparities including high rates of late or no prenatal care and teen births. This 62,000-square-foot facility will provide comprehensive care to disadvantaged families and will serve over 48,000 individuals annually. With the Governor’s investment, we are setting a new standard for health equity in New York State."
NYC Councilmember Pierina Sanchez said, “It is a moral imperative to close the gap on Black maternal mortality, and it is achievable with proper policies and investments, like those Governor Hochul is announcing today. I’m proud to stand with the governor to announce funding that will expand maternal health services at a brand-new integrative wellness center at Morris Heights Health Center (MHHC), in which my office and Speaker Adrienne E. Adams invested $7 million. I am also proud to support the standing order for doula access and NYS’s paid family leave program, given the many roadblocks or flat denial of life-saving opportunities of having a doula by our side in our most beautiful and vulnerable moment of childbirth, myself included. I am thrilled at today’s announcements and look forward to continued work on policies that would expand access to institutional and community setting midwifery care as well.”
Bronx Borough Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “When analyzing the issues around maternal mortality and morbidity, it is clear that there is a maternal health crisis that is disproportionately affecting Black birthing people in our borough. To effectively address this issue, we are eliminating barriers that prevent our residents from receiving culturally sensitive, patient-centered care that is attuned to their unique needs and free of bias and racism that has resulted in the preventable deaths of too many pregnant people. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her capital investment in a new Maternal Health Center of Excellence, her legislation creating a state doula directory and for allocating $4.5 million to support the state’s Regional Perinatal Centers, to provide high-level perinatal and infant care throughout our state. Together, with our partners in government, Maternal Health Consortium, and birthing advocates, we are committed to supporting healthy pregnancies and improving our borough`s health infrastructure.”
Morris Heights Health Center President and CEO Mari Millet said, “We are extremely grateful to Governor Hochul for making it possible for us to expand much-needed maternal health services for the Bronx community. As the Bronx continues to struggle with inequitable health outcomes, our team is focused on approaching the problem from an integrative perspective. By expanding our facilities and services, we will be better positioned to care for our community through a combination of high-quality medical, specialty and support services which address all social drivers of health.”
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Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
New York State | Executive Chamber | press.office@exec.ny.gov | 518.474.8418
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Debbie Louis
Director, NYC Intergovernmental Affairs
Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
633 3rd Ave New York, NY 10017
(W): 212- 681-4612 | (C): 518-491-0049
Thursday, November 9, 2023
- Governor Hochul Signs S.1867A/A.5435A
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-takes-infant-and-maternal-mortality-crisis
- Final Report for the Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership Telehealth Project.
https://nmppcares.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/Final Report
- PROGRAM’S TELEHEALTH LISTENING SESSIONS.y
Community Residents Share their Experiences Accessing Health Care. Funded Through Tele-Health Funded by NYSHF in Partnership with University at Albany and New York Presbyterian.
https://nmppcares.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/Listening-sessions
- COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER GUIDE TO TELE-HEALTH BEST PRACTICES
https://nmppcares.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/CHW Telehealth Best Practice Manual.pdf
Tuesday August 30, 2022
Deportation Defense Manual
This manual is a collaboration between Make the Road New York’s organizing and legal teams, and its aim is to make resources accessible to our broader community as we fight senseless immigration enforcement.
https://nmppcares.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/Deportation-Defense-Manual.pdf
JUNE 24, 2022
The White House released the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, a whole-of-government approach to combating maternal mortality and morbidity. The link to the full report is available in the press release:
https://nmppcares.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/White%20House%20Maternal-Health-Blueprint.pdf
Thursday April 14, 2022
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) today announced the release of a new report on maternal mortality, the New York State Report on Pregnancy-Associated Deaths in 2018, as part of the State’s ongoing commitment to address systemic inequities and create safer birth experiences for mothers and families. The new report represents the culmination of the work of the New York State Maternal Mortality Review Board (MMRB) and the New York State Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Advisory Council (MMMAC) to identify common factors contributing to death and develop the recommendations needed to improve the health and safety of pregnant New Yorkers statewide.
The link to the full report is available in the press release: New York State Department of Health Releases New Report On Maternal Mortality (ny.gov)
Thursday, February 24, 2022
People from racial, ethnic, and other groups report frequent COVID-19–related discrimination
Study highlights the need for public health messaging strategies that address biases against all population groups that have been marginalized.
WHAT
People from all major racial and ethnic minority population groups in the United States report experiencing more COVID-19–related discrimination than white adults, a new study shows. COVID-19-related discrimination includes experiences of being threatened or harassed based on someone’s perception of another having COVID-19. To date, this is the largest study, with the most diverse participants, to examine discrimination related to COVID-19. The study was led by Paula D. Strassle, Ph.D., of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the National Institutes of Health, and was published in the American Journal of Public Health on Feb. 23, 2022.
In the study, researchers measured the prevalence of COVID-19–related discrimination in all major racial and ethnic groups in the United States, using data from the COVID-19’s Unequal Racial Burden (CURB) survey. They also analyzed the impact of other social and demographic factors on COVID-19–related discrimination. People from groups that have been marginalized, such as those who speak little to no English and those with lower levels of education, were also found to face more discrimination due to the pandemic.
Researchers collected information from 5,500 American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Latino, white, and multiracial adults. The online survey was administered by YouGov from December 2020 to February 2021 and was available in English and Spanish. The survey asked whether participants had experienced COVID-19–related discriminatory behaviors, such as being called names or insulted, being threatened or harassed, or hearing racist comments, because the perpetrator thought the participant had COVID-19. The survey also asked whether participants felt that others acted afraid of them because they belonged to a racial/ethnic group misconceived to get COVID-19 more often.
Results showed that 22.1% of participants had experienced COVID-19–related discriminatory behaviors, and 42.7% of participants reported that people acted afraid of them. When compared to white adults, people from all racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to have experienced COVID-19–related discrimination. Participants who identified as Asian or American Indian/Alaska Native were most likely to have experienced this hostile behavior, and participants who identified as Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or Latino were also highly likely to have experienced discrimination. Higher rates of discrimination affected participants who lived in a big city; in a rural area; or in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, or Tennessee.
The results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened existing resentment toward racial and ethnic minorities and other minority populations in the United States. The study showcases the need for careful and responsible public health messaging during public health crises to help prevent and address discrimination against groups that have been marginalized.
The researchers noted that the study involved some limitations. The survey was administered online and persons with limited or no internet access were less likely to be included, although participants were recruited in a variety of ways, including over the phone and through flyers. It was also a self-reported survey, and discrimination was based on perceived motivations of the perpetrators.
P.D. Strassle et al. COVID-19–related discrimination among racial/ethnic minorities and other marginalized communities in the United States. American Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306594(link is external)
WHO
Paula D. Strassle, Ph.D., M.S.P.H, Division of Intramural Research, NIMHD, is available for comment.
NIMHD leads scientific research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities by conducting and supporting research; planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating all minority health and health disparities research at NIH; promoting and supporting the training of a diverse research workforce; translating and disseminating research information; and fostering collaborations and partnerships. For more information about NIMHD, visit https://www.nimhd.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
According to the CDC, two in three pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
Click on this link to learn more about Maternal Warning Signs
https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html
Signos de una urgencia en la madre durante el embarazo o posparto
https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/spanish/signos-de-una-urgencia-embarazo/index.html
Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
DECEMBER 07, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
As part of the Call to Action, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) releases new report estimating that 720,000 more people would gain Medicaid postpartum coverage if states act; the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes establishment of “Birthing-Friendly” hospital designation and issues guidance to states on how to provide Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have long championed policies to improve maternal health and equity, and addressing the maternal mortality and morbidity crisis is a key priority of their Administration. America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world, and they are especially high among Black women and Native American women, regardless of their income or education levels. On behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, Vice President Harris is issuing a nationwide Call to Action to both the public and private sectors to help improve health outcomes for parents and infants in the United States.
Today marks the first-ever White House Maternal Health Day of Action. In addition to substantial investments proposed in the Build Back Better Act, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new commitments to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, and reduce complications and mortality in the year following birth.
The Administration will:
- Build Back Better: The Build Back Better Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, includes an historic $3 billion investment in maternal health.
- Encourage states to expand postpartum coverage: CMS is releasing new guidance to help states provide 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage through their Medicaid programs, up from 60 days. Currently, states are only required to provide coverage for 60 days postpartum, despite research showing that many deaths and complications occur more than 60 days following delivery. This easier pathway for states was established by the American Rescue Plan and will become available in April 2022. States, including Virginia, New Jersey, and Illinois, have already extended postpartum coverage for families in their states and CMS is encouraging all states to take up the new option.
- Report on the impact of postpartum coverage: HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) is releasing a new report showing the dramatic impact of state extensions of Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months. If every state adopted an extension — as required in the Build Back Better Act —then the number of Americans getting coverage for a full year postpartum would roughly double, extending coverage for an estimated 720,000 people in a given year.
- Create a new designation of the quality of maternal health services for our nation’s hospitals: CMS is planning to propose the establishment of a “Birthing-Friendly” hospital designation, which would be the first-ever hospital quality designation by HHS specifically focused on maternity care. This designation is intended to be awarded to those hospitals that participate in a collaborative program aimed at improving maternal outcomes and implement patient safety practices. CMS would add the designation to their “Care Compare” website to allow consumers to choose hospitals that have implemented best practices.
The Build Back Better Act’s Investment in Maternal Health
Once passed, the Build Back Better Act’s maternal health provisions will:
- Invest over $3 billion in new maternal health funding, with transformative new investments in growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, improving data collection and maternal health risk monitoring, addressing the social factors that contribute to poor maternal health outcomes, addressing substance use disorders that impact maternal health, promoting increased maternal health research, improving postpartum coverage, and better coordinating care.
- Require all states to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum, eliminating potentially deadly gaps in health insurance at a critical time for individuals. Currently, states are only required to provide coverage for 60 days postpartum, despite research showing that many deaths and complications occur more than 60 days following delivery.
- Spark innovation by allowing states to establish maternal health homes to better coordinate health care for individuals before, during, and following birth.
Additional Background on Biden-Harris Efforts to Combat the Maternal Health Crisis
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any wealthy nation in the world. Every year, people in the United States die of pregnancy-related causes at more than double the rate among nations with similar levels of income. Maternal mortality statistics in the United States have actually worsened over the past 20 years, even as rates among peer nations have generally improved. In addition, each year, tens of thousands of mothers experience severe morbidity—unintended consequences of pregnancy that result in life-altering health challenges, such as severe heart issues, hemorrhages, seizures, and blood infections.
This maternal health crisis is particularly devastating for Black and Native American women, and women in rural communities. Black women are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as white women, and Native American women are more than twice as likely, regardless of their income or education. Pregnant women who live in rural communities are about 60 percent more likely to die before, during, or following birth than women in urban communities.
In April, the President issued the first-ever presidential proclamation for Black Maternal Health Week, which emphasized the importance of addressing this crisis. The Administration simultaneously released a fact sheet outlining significant requests for new funding related to maternal health, actions to expand Medicaid coverage for pregnancy and postpartum care, and grant funding for rural maternal care.
As a Senator, Vice President Harris introduced the Maternal CARE Act and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which would provide significant additional resources to address the crisis. This maternal health work by Vice President Harris and other Congressional leaders is now a key component of the Build Back Better Act, which will expand access to maternal care and make unprecedented new investments to drive down mortality and morbidity. President Biden and Vice President Harris call on the Senate to swiftly pass Build Back Better, and make these reforms a reality for America’s families.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2021
Contact: HHS Press Office
202-690-6343
media@hhs.gov
As Vaccinations are Approved for Children Across the Country, U.S. Surgeon General Releases New Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation
Toolkit offers specific guidance to individuals, health care professionals and administrators, teachers, librarians, and faith leaders to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation
As a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins for children ages 5 to 11 years old, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy releases a Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation - PDF to help Americans navigate the serious threat of health misinformation, especially online. Earlier this year, Dr. Murthy issued the first Surgeon General’s Advisory of this administration warning people about the urgent threat of health misinformation and calling for a whole-of-society approach to address it.
“With the authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to11 years old, it is more important than ever that families have access to accurate, science-based information. Health misinformation is spreading fast and far online and throughout our communities,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy. “The good news is that we all have the power to help stop the spread of health misinformation during this pandemic and beyond. That’s where this toolkit comes in—to provide Americans with resources to help limit and reduce this threat to public health.”
The Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation provides specific guidance to individuals, health care professionals and administrators, teachers, school administrators, librarians, and faith leaders to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities. The toolkit comes at a critical time when Americans are learning more about the role technology companies play in the spread of health misinformation.
Resources in the Community Toolkit include:
· A Health Misinformation Checklist to help evaluate the accuracy of health-related content;
· Tips on how individuals can talk to loved ones about health misinformation;
· An outline of common types of misinformation and disinformation tactics; and
· Reflections and examples of times individuals may have encountered misinformation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health misinformation and disinformation (misinformation that is spread intentionally to serve a malicious purpose) have threatened the U.S. response to COVID-19 and continue to prevent Americans from getting vaccinated, prolonging the pandemic and putting lives at risk.
In response, the Surgeon General issued the first advisory of this Administration in July on Health Misinformation, laying out how the nation can confront health misinformation by helping individuals, families, and communities better identify and limit its spread. The advisory also outlines several ways institutions in education, media, medicine, research, and government stakeholders can approach this issue. It underscores the urgent need for technology and social media companies to address the way misinformation and disinformation spread on their platforms, threatening people's health. The full Surgeon General’s Advisory can be found here.
The Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation can be found here - PDF.
For more information about the Office of the Surgeon General, please visit: www.surgeongeneral.gov.