Bill Text: DE HCR79 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Proclaiming January 23, 2024 As Maternal Health Awareness Day In The State Of Delaware.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 24-7)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-01-23 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 15 YES 6 NOT VOTING [HCR79 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2023-HCR79-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Bush & Rep. S. Moore & Sen. Lockman & Sen. S. McBride & Sen. Townsend |
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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.
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 women’s 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.
