Bill > S1991

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Commissioner of Health to establish a maternal health public awareness campaign to improve overall maternal and child health while ensuring equitable care among women and children of all races and ethnicities. The campaign is to disseminate information about maternal health and encourage the public to access a user-friendly website to be established and maintained by the Department of Health (department). Under the bill, the campaign will, at a minimum: (1) disseminate aggregated data to the public concerning hospital rates of: cesarean births, exclusive breastfeeding at discharge, and vaginal birth after cesarean delivery, among other information, to assist women in the selection of maternity care providers and birthing locations; (2) promote active engagement in maternity care, patient rights, making informed choices, and the use of shared decision-making models and decision-making aids; (3) disseminate information to healthcare professionals regarding how to document the patient' s preferences regarding care provided during labor and delivery, otherwise known as a birth plan, in the patient's health records; (4) disseminate information to the public on avoiding interventions that may be unneeded or that may increase pregnancy-related risks, the advantages of physiologic birth, which is a pregnancy, labor, and birth process that progresses through natural biologic processes, and the benefits of using high-value forms of care such as midwives, birthing centers, doulas, and lactation support; (5) promote the maternal and child health programs and services that are available in the State and encourage the public to contact county central intake agencies to obtain information and appropriate referrals; (6) provide information on the department' s Internet website regarding parent' s rights to family leave under State and federal law; (7) provide the public with information about breastfeeding and pregnancy discrimination rights; and (8) provide the public with information about the eligibility requirements and the application process to enroll in coverage for pregnant women under the State Medicaid program.

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Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 03/03/2022)

Official Document