Living Well Black supports the reintroduction of the “Black Maternal Momnibus Act of 2023” (“Momnibus Act”) by Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ). This legislation, composed of 13 individual bills, will provide critical funding, resources, and data needed to address the heartbreaking disparities in maternal mortality and birth outcomes affecting Black mothers and Black families. Tragically, Black women are 3 times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. This holds true across income brackets, geographic locations, and education levels. In fact, Black women with at least a college education are 5.2 times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related reasons than white women with the same level of education.
The Momnibus Act will:
- Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition.
- Extend WIC eligibility in the postpartum and breastfeeding periods.
- Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity.
- Increase funding for programs to improve maternal health care for veterans.
- Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternal health care and support from people they 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.
- Support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
- Improve maternal health care and support for incarcerated moms.
- Invest in digital tools to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas.
- Promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and non-clinical support during and after pregnancy.
- Invest in federal programs to address maternal and infant health risks during public health emergencies.
- Invest in community-based initiatives to reduce levels of and exposure to climate change-related risks for moms and babies.
- Promote maternal vaccinations to protect the health of moms and babies.
See bill summary and original co-sponsors here: “Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2023” Rep Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)