Secretary Becerra announced that six states will join a new collaborative effort to address postpartum mortality.
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and leaders across HHS met with state leaders and representatives from the National Governors Association (NGA) and announced the Announced the launch of a postpartum maternal and child health system. Cooperative. Six states have agreed to participate in the Postpartum Maternal and Child Health Collaborative: Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Mexico.
This new collaboration will bring together state experts, local health care providers, community partners, and federal experts to better understand the challenges the postpartum population is experiencing and develop new solutions to improve postpartum mortality. We aim to support initiatives. In conjunction with this new HHS collaboration, the National Governors Association has launched the Collaborative on Improving Maternal and Child Health in State and Territorial Policy Learning for Rural America. This new initiative will focus on implementing policy changes to improve maternal and child health outcomes in rural America.
During the meeting, Secretary Becerra thanked the participants and emphasized the need to work together to support those facing postpartum challenges and understand the causes of maternal mortality. Participants responded by sharing insights into how their states are working to improve maternal and postnatal health. They shared the unique challenges they face to reduce maternal mortality and discussed the factors driving the maternal health crisis. At the end of the roundtable, Secretary Becerra assured the group of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to taking further steps to reduce postpartum mortality and strengthen partnerships that foster innovation.
States expanding postpartum care is especially important given the maternal mortality rate of 1,205 women in the U.S. in 2021. And nearly one in three pregnancy-related deaths occur between six weeks after giving birth and one year after giving birth, according to data from the 36-state Maternal Mortality Review Board. The postpartum period is important for recovering from childbirth, managing birth complications, ensuring mental health, managing the infant’s care, and transitioning from obstetric to primary care.
These new collaborations are just one of the ways HHS is working to improve maternal and postpartum health, and in line with the 2022 White House Blueprint to Address the Maternal Health Crisis. It builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s historic actions to improve mortality rates. Through the American Rescue Plan, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has extended comprehensive Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months after pregnancy in 43 states and the District of Columbia. In September 2023, HRSA announced the White House Initiative to Address the Maternal and Child Health Crisis, a government-wide strategy to combat maternal mortality and improve maternal and child health, especially in underserved areas. announced nearly $90 million in awards to support the Blueprint. Earlier this year, HRSA also announced the launch of a year-long Maternal Health Enhancement Initiative to maximize the impact of HRSA grant programs to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health.
The meeting was attended by the following individuals and representatives:
- Representing Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
- Ryan Martin, Deputy Director, National Governors Association Best Practices Center
- Brittney Roy, Program Director, National Governors Association Best Practices Center
