The Biden-Harris administration has made addressing the Black maternal health crisis a priority since taking office. From the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis to the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, the President and Vice President have launched a variety of initiatives to save the lives of Black mothers.
As the 2024 White House Proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week notes, “Vice President Kamala Harris came into office as a key leader on maternal health and continues to fight for improved maternal health outcomes, elevating the issue nationally and convening experts and activists to find solutiThe Biden-Harris administration has made addressing the Black maternal health crisis a priority since taking office. From the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis to the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, the President and Vice President have launched a variety of initiatives to save the lives of Black mothers.ons.”
Under the American Rescue Plan, the first landmark bill passed by the Biden administration in 2021, states now have “the option to provide a full year of postpartum coverage to women on Medicaid,” and now 45 states and Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands are covered for a full year.
In addition, the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, “outlines actions the Federal Government will take to combat maternal mortality and improve maternal health.” The White House created a “birthing-Friendly” designation for hospitals which identifies the hospitals and healthcare systems around the country offering high-quality maternal care so expectant mothers can ensure they receive the valuable help they need during this time.
In addition to the Blueprint which launched in 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration also launched the Maternal Mental Health Hotline in that same years so that “[n]ew and expecting mothers can call 1-833-TLC-MAMA — a confidential, 24-hour, toll-free number — to connect with professional counselors.”
As Shawana Moore, Doctor in Nursing Practice and an Associate Professor at Emory University, told ESSENCE in a statement,“Black women in the United States face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity compared to white women, with factors such as systemic racism, inadequate access to quality healthcare, and socioeconomic inequities contributing to this disparity. A Trump presidency filled with policies and proposals seeking to roll back or weaken healthcare coverage, reproductive rights, and funding for women’s health programs could exacerbate these existing challenges and further jeopardize the health and well-being of Black women, hindering efforts to address and reduce maternal health risks within this population,” she said.
“From day one President Biden and Vice President Harris have remained committed to strengthening maternal health care for Black women. From laying out more than fifty actions for over a dozen agencies of the federal government to working to expand and diversify the maternal health workforce – they are showing they not only understand the severity of this crisis, but they are doing what needs to be done to address it,” Moore continued.
Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, MS echoes Moore’s sentiments, “As a Black female physician, health equity advocate and a survivor of childbirth complications. I am deeply concerned about the racial disparity in maternal healthcare. We know Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after compared to their White counterparts. I appreciate and support the efforts of the Biden-Harris administration, who are highlighting this issue and working towards making the maternal health experience safer and more inclusive for Black women.”
