Bill > A05529

This bill, known as the Chisholm Chance Act, addresses the maternal health crisis by establishing two specialized centers for pregnant and birthing persons in Kings County (Brooklyn) and Bronx County, in response to high maternal mortality rates, particularly among people of color. The centers, located at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center, will provide comprehensive healthcare services including prenatal care, high-risk pregnancy care, labor and delivery services, lactation support, heart and breast health services, and postpartum care. Each center will also conduct research prioritizing pregnant and birthing persons of color, focusing on understanding life-threatening pregnancy complications, identifying health risks, studying racial disparities in maternal mortality, and developing treatments to reduce these risks. Additionally, the centers will collaborate with local social services and community-based organizations to identify and address gaps in healthcare systems and conduct targeted outreach to high-need populations in their respective counties. The bill emphasizes the critical nature of the maternal health crisis, noting that pregnant and birthing persons of color die at a rate three and a half times higher than other individuals who could bear children, and that New York ranks in the bottom third of states for maternal survival. Implementation of these centers is subject to available state appropriations.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5529