Launch virtual campaign to raise awareness of maternal health disparities
COLUMBUS— State Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) and the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus (OBMHC) today recognized the start of Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) this weekend, which promotes awareness and seeks to advance and improve black maternal health outcomes across the country.
The caucus will honor the week with a social media campaign that will allow constituents to learn about maternal health disparities and advocate for reproductive and birth justice for black women in Ohio virtually.
“Maternal health in our Black communities is another egregious disparity which must be addressed to ensure we are creating better futures for our most vulnerable populations,” said Ingram.
Black Maternal Health Week this year comes at a time when many women are giving birth in unprecedented circumstances due to the COVID-19 health crisis. COVID-19 is placing increased strain on a U.S. maternal healthcare system that already has the worst maternal mortality rate in the world. Some health experts fear that the virus will exacerbate existing maternal health disparities. The caucus’ social media campaign will include a day devoted to examining the impact of COVID-19 on black maternal health.
OBMHC has introduced several bills to improve black maternal health outcomes in Ohio, including:
- House Bill (HB) 434 (Crawley) to modify the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) Board;
- HB 435, or the “Save Our Mothers Act”, (Crawley) to improve standards of maternal healthcare and address cultural competency trainings;
- HB 91 (Boyd/ Boggs) to create the Family and Medical Leave Program;
- HB 11, (Howse) to improve prenatal and maternal health outcomes;
- HCR 15 (Ingram) urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow states greater flexibility in administering SNAP benefits.
For more information and to see a schedule of virtual events for Black Maternal Health Week, follow @OhioBMHC on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
