Taskforce Formed to Address Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes

A comprehensive initiative has been established to target maternal mortality and reduce racial disparities in health outcomes, building on the State's commitment to addressing maternal mortality across the state. The multi-pronged initiative includes efforts to review and better address maternal death and morbidity with a focus on racial disparities, expanding community outreach, and taking new actions to increase access to prenatal and perinatal care, including establishing a pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas. 

"Maternal mortality should not be a fear anyone in New York should have to face in the 21st century," Governor Cuomo said. "We are taking aggressive action to break down barriers that prevent women from getting the prenatal care and information they need. This comprehensive initiative will work to correct unacceptable racial disparities in maternal mortality and help ensure a healthier and stronger New York for all."

The initiative builds on Governor Cuomo's commitment to reducing maternal mortality and addressing racial disparities. While New York State has made improvements in reducing maternal mortality rates since 2010, when it was ranked 46th in the nation for the lowest mortality rate, the state still ranks 30th in the nation. Moreover, racial disparities persist, as black women are almost four times more likely nationally to die in childbirth than white women and three times more likely in New York. Research shows that in New York City highly educated black women still fare significantly worse than white women with less than a high school degree.

To continue to target maternal mortality and reduce racial disparities in health outcomes, the Governor is launching the following initiatives:

Create the Taskforce on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes: The task force will provide expert policy advice on improving maternal outcomes, addressing racial and economic disparities and reducing the frequency of maternal mortality and morbidity in New York State. The taskforce will comprise OB-GYNs, hospital representatives, Secretary to the Governor and Chair of the New York State Council on Women and Girls Melissa DeRosa, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James and appointees from Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, as well as other stakeholders and members of the community. The taskforce will be led by: Dr. Howard Zucker, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health; Sascha James-Conterelli, DNP, CNM, LM, President of the New York Association of Licensed Midwives;     Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP- President of SUNY Upstate; and Wendy Wilcox, MD, MPH, Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYC Health and Hospitals, Kings County.

Establish the Maternal Mortality Review Board: At the recommendation of the Governor's Council on Women and Girls, the Governor will direct DOH to establish the Maternal Mortality Review Board, composed of health professionals who serve and/or are representative of the diversity of women and mothers across the state, to work in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the City of New York to review each maternal death in New York State. The Board will also be tasked with making policy recommendations to DOH to improve maternal outcomes by reducing maternal mortalities and morbidities, and recommendations would specifically contemplate racial and economic disparities.

Launch the Best Practice Summit with Hospitals and OB-GYNs: The Governor will launch a summit with the Greater New York Hospital Association, Healthcare Association of New York State, ACOG, and other stakeholders to discuss the issue of maternal mortality and morbidity, including racial disparities. The Summit will address statistics, best practices, community awareness, medical school curricula, graduate medical education, and practicing physician training, with the goal of implementing immediate measures and identifying future action items to improve maternal care and management.

Click here for the full announcement. If not posted, check the site a little later.

Source:  The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo