Delaware 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware House Bill HCR79 Draft / Bill

                    SPONSOR:      Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Bush & Rep. S. Moore & Sen. Lockman & Sen. S. McBride & Sen. Townsend       Reps. Baumbach, Bolden, Dorsey Walker, Griffith, Harris, Heffernan, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Jones Giltner, Morrison, Osienski, Ramone, Michael Smith, K. Williams, Wilson-Anton, Yearick; Sens. Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Poore, Wilson           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 79       PROCLAIMING JANUARY 23, 2024 AS MATERNAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Bush & Rep. S. Moore & Sen. Lockman & Sen. S. McBride & Sen. Townsend       Reps. Baumbach, Bolden, Dorsey Walker, Griffith, Harris, Heffernan, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Jones Giltner, Morrison, Osienski, Ramone, Michael Smith, K. Williams, Wilson-Anton, Yearick; Sens. Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Poore, Wilson     

SPONSOR: Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Bush & Rep. S. Moore & Sen. Lockman & Sen. S. McBride & Sen. Townsend
Reps. Baumbach, Bolden, Dorsey Walker, Griffith, Harris, Heffernan, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Jones Giltner, Morrison, Osienski, Ramone, Michael Smith, K. Williams, Wilson-Anton, Yearick; Sens. Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Poore, Wilson

 SPONSOR:  

 Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Bush & Rep. S. Moore & Sen. Lockman & Sen. S. McBride & Sen. Townsend 

 Reps. Baumbach, Bolden, Dorsey Walker, Griffith, Harris, Heffernan, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Jones Giltner, Morrison, Osienski, Ramone, Michael Smith, K. Williams, Wilson-Anton, Yearick; Sens. Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Poore, Wilson 

   

 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 79 

   

 PROCLAIMING JANUARY 23, 2024 AS MATERNAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 

   

   WHEREAS, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, in 1986, to collect data about the prevalence and causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States; and     WHEREAS ,  pregnancy-related deaths are defined as the number of birthing persons who die during pregnancy or within one year after a childbirth; and    WHEREAS ,  such data has demonstrated that between 2012-2019, the United States continues to be the only industrialized country with a rising rate of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, with over 700 maternal deaths per year; and    WHEREAS, it is estimated that up to 80 % of all pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; and     WHEREAS, data from the Delaware Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) 2022 indicates that racial disparities continue to exist with poor maternal outcomes, as Black births comprise 28% of all births, but Black birthing persons account for 75% of all pregnancy-related deaths; and    WHEREAS ,  the MMRC data also demonstrates that a growing number of maternal deaths are linked to cardiovascular disease, substance use disorder and suicides, which may be preventable through adequate access to care; and    WHEREAS, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has calculated that Delaware is currently only at 65 % adequacy across all health care workforce; and     WHEREAS, HRSA is also predicting by 2036, Delaware will only be at 55% adequacy across all health care workforce, indicating an increasing loss of workforce for provision of care and access; and     WHEREAS ,  according to a 2022 March of Dimes report, more than one third of all US counties are considered maternity care deserts which has resulted in patients travelling longer distances to receive or just go without, much needed care; and    WHEREAS, Governor Carney provided the first proclamation of Maternal Health Awareness Day in Delaware on January 23, 2018 to bring together community, healthcare and legislator stakeholders for a day of recognition and solution-building regarding the ongoing crisis in maternal health outcomes; and    WHEREAS, since then, the General Assembly has recognized annually, January 23  rd   as Maternal Health Awareness Day, in Delaware to highlight such pressing maternal health issues, as gaps in postpartum care, postpartum depression, postpartum hemorrhage and substance use disorder; and     WHEREAS, this collaborative effort across all stakeholders in maternal care has promoted the work of the Delaware Quality Perinatal Collaborative and such important initiatives, as the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health and the expansion of postpartum insurance coverage to maintain critical maternal access and to address the impact of the current severe maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in Delaware.     NOW, THEREFORE:     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the General Assembly hereby designates January 23, 2024 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in the State of Delaware, in order to raise public and professional awareness about maternal health, safety and mortality issues, including racial disparities in womens health and the lack of adequate quality maternal care due to the current healthcare workforce crisis; to promote education about promising maternal health initiatives; and to encourage the development of new initiatives which proactively address these and all aspects of maternal care and maternal health outcomes.      

  WHEREAS, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, in 1986, to collect data about the prevalence and causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States; and  

  WHEREAS ,  pregnancy-related deaths are defined as the number of birthing persons who die during pregnancy or within one year after a childbirth; and 

  WHEREAS ,  such data has demonstrated that between 2012-2019, the United States continues to be the only industrialized country with a rising rate of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, with over 700 maternal deaths per year; and 

  WHEREAS, it is estimated that up to 80 % of all pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; and  

  WHEREAS, data from the Delaware Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) 2022 indicates that racial disparities continue to exist with poor maternal outcomes, as Black births comprise 28% of all births, but Black birthing persons account for 75% of all pregnancy-related deaths; and 

  WHEREAS ,  the MMRC data also demonstrates that a growing number of maternal deaths are linked to cardiovascular disease, substance use disorder and suicides, which may be preventable through adequate access to care; and 

  WHEREAS, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has calculated that Delaware is currently only at 65 % adequacy across all health care workforce; and  

  WHEREAS, HRSA is also predicting by 2036, Delaware will only be at 55% adequacy across all health care workforce, indicating an increasing loss of workforce for provision of care and access; and  

  WHEREAS ,  according to a 2022 March of Dimes report, more than one third of all US counties are considered maternity care deserts which has resulted in patients travelling longer distances to receive or just go without, much needed care; and 

  WHEREAS, Governor Carney provided the first proclamation of Maternal Health Awareness Day in Delaware on January 23, 2018 to bring together community, healthcare and legislator stakeholders for a day of recognition and solution-building regarding the ongoing crisis in maternal health outcomes; and 

  WHEREAS, since then, the General Assembly has recognized annually, January 23  rd   as Maternal Health Awareness Day, in Delaware to highlight such pressing maternal health issues, as gaps in postpartum care, postpartum depression, postpartum hemorrhage and substance use disorder; and  

  WHEREAS, this collaborative effort across all stakeholders in maternal care has promoted the work of the Delaware Quality Perinatal Collaborative and such important initiatives, as the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health and the expansion of postpartum insurance coverage to maintain critical maternal access and to address the impact of the current severe maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in Delaware.  

  NOW, THEREFORE:  

  BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the General Assembly hereby designates January 23, 2024 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in the State of Delaware, in order to raise public and professional awareness about maternal health, safety and mortality issues, including racial disparities in womens health and the lack of adequate quality maternal care due to the current healthcare workforce crisis; to promote education about promising maternal health initiatives; and to encourage the development of new initiatives which proactively address these and all aspects of maternal care and maternal health outcomes. 

   

  SYNOPSIS   This concurrent resolution hereby designates January 23, 2024 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in the State of Delaware.      

 SYNOPSIS 

 This concurrent resolution hereby designates January 23, 2024 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in the State of Delaware.