Let’s save the lives of mothers with these Black Maternal Health Momnibus bills

Moms are irreplaceable.

My mother, a domestic worker, cleaned houses so I could afford to go to college. She was a pastor who imbued me with a humble faith and strong values. She was my cornerstone.

I cannot begin to imagine what my life would have been like without my mama, and yet, thousands of children who lost their mothers to America’s maternal health crisis know exactly what it’s like. Even more disturbing is that Black mothers are dying due to pregnancy-related complications at a national rate three to four times that of white women. On top of that, the United States has the worst maternal health outcomes in the developed world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made conditions worse.

The stories are harrowing and utterly heartbreaking. In 2016, Kira Johnson, a Black woman, checked into a California-based hospital with her husband to give birth to her second son. Kira was an entrepreneur, world traveler and a mother of one healthy boy already. She was insured. Nevertheless, she died from hours of neglect and severe hemorrhaging, nearly 12 hours after delivering Langston.

Despite taking all the right steps, she did not make it out of that hospital alive.

Kira deserved better. She mattered. Tragically, there are many stories like Kira’s.

My daughter, Jeanelle, almost fell victim to the crisis. She had HELLP Syndrom — also known as pre-eclampsia. A physician overlooked my daughter’s complaints of pain in her abdomen — not listening to her needs as a Black woman. Their dismissal of her pain almost cost my daughter her life.

When we think about how important mothers and grandmothers are to their communities, we should recognize that moms and birthing people touch so many lives, even outside their immediate families. My daughter is not only “mommy” to my two amazing grandchildren, she’s also the principal to all of the students at Reedy Fork Elementary School.

The thread of her life weaves into and is intertwined with countless others. She’s irreplaceable, too: not only as a mother or daughter but also as an educator and mentor.

What is both troubling yet also gives me tremendous hope is that this crisis is preventable.

The United States can address its maternal mortality rate. That is why Vice President Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and many others joined me in introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus last year, and why Senator Booker and even more Members of Congress joined us in reintroducing the Momnibus this month.

With the support of a historic coalition of nearly 200 health care providers, Black mothers, policymakers, researchers, activists and maternal health advocates, we crafted a collaborative, targeted and timely set of policies to improve maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus fills gaps in existing legislation to comprehensively address every dimension of the Black maternal health crisis in America.

Throughout the process, we remained very intentional about centering the voices of Black women. The Momnibus makes investments in social determinants of health, community-based organizations, the growth and diversification of the perinatal workforce, improvements in data collection and quality measures and digital tools like telehealth. The Momnibus also focuses on high-risk populations, including women veterans, incarcerated women and Native Americans.

Two new bills in the package promote maternal vaccinations to protect the health and safety of moms and babies and invest in federal programs to address the unique risks for and effects of COVID-19 during and after pregnancy.

Another bill, the Kira Johnson Act, makes investments in community-based organizations, supports the implementation of bias and anti-racism training programs and the establishment of Respectful Maternity Care Compliance Offices within hospitals to address bias and racism. Kira’s Law is all about accountability and empowering community health partners who have been providing safe and culturally sensitive care to Black moms for decades.

We have suffered profound losses due to the pandemic. The value of individuals, the immeasurable ways someone can touch an entire community, has come into clear focus. When it comes to the maternal health crisis, for every mother lost there are hundreds of close calls. The experiences of Beyoncé and Serena Williams demonstrate that the problem transcends wealth, insurance status and quality of care.

I’m encouraged to see that the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 is inspiring legislators across the country. This week, California State Senator Nancy Skinner introduced the California version of the Momnibus, noting that “the U.S. has more childbirth-related deaths than any other industrialized nation, and one of the highest rates of infant mortality. That’s unconscionable. It’s a national tragedy.”

She’s right, and there’s no excuse for inaction. We can save these lives and close the maternal mortality and morbidity gap between not only Black and white Americans, but also the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Let’s pass the Momnibus — both in Washington and in Sacramento — and address this crisis. Our mamas can’t wait.