Despite the strides New York has made in supporting maternal health, state leaders said there’s still more work to be done.
“When we say there's not significant improvement, we're saying that we're not doing a better job at saving mother's lives and babies' lives,” Sen. Samra Brouk said.
Reports show that Black mothers, within the state, are three to four times more likely to die from childbirth complications than their white counterparts. To combat this statistic, Gov. Kathy Hochul has advanced policies to minimize unnecessary C-sections and attain better Medicaid reimbursements for doulas, and pushed for paid prenatal leave.
But Brouk said Black moms still have yet to see positive impacts from these actions.
“It'll be incredibly important this year, especially, that we are able to continue building on the programs that we have initiated over the last couple of years,” Brouk said.
As she enters the next legislative session, Brouk said her focus will be on defending and advancing programs that support Black maternal health — like the doula directory.
“We cannot be cutting programs like that that are finally starting to get legs,” Brouk said.
She added that she will also be advocating for non-budgetary items that integrate doulas into the hospital setting and ensure more individuals know that the service is available.
“We're not only there to comfort, but we're a second set of eyes that are in the room, that are watchful,” said Phyllis Sharp, founder of Royalty Birth Services in Rochester — a doula centered organization geared towards supporting birthing families.
Sharp said in a hospital setting doulas serve as the vital link between patients and their provider.
“When they (Black women) go into the hospital, they want to feel heard and they want to feel seen,” Sharp said. “When there's a doula present, they are not being ignored.”
The state legislative session runs from January to June.
