State Health Policy Resources to Promote Black Maternal Health and Equity
Each year approximately 700 women die in the United States as a result of pregnancy or related complications, and Black women are three- to five-times more likely to die in childbirth than White women. In honor of the fourth Black Maternal Health week, April 11-17, 2021, sponsored by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), is showcasing recent state health policy resources to help improve Black maternal health.
NASHP Blogs
- New Jersey Medicaid Implements New Policies to Improve Maternal Health, March 2021
- How New York Is Safeguarding Pregnant Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic, November 2020
- State Strategies to Address the Black Maternal Health Crisis, October 2020
- Eight States Join NASHP’s Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovation Program Policy Academy to Address Maternal Mortality, April 2021
NASHP Report
- Four State Strategies to Employ Doulas to Improve Maternal Health and Birth Outcomes in Medicaid, July 2020
Interactive Maps and Charts
- State Maternal Mortality Review Committee Membership and Recommendations, February 2021
- State Medicaid Policies for Maternal Depression Screening During Well-Child Visits, April 2020
- View Each State’s Efforts to Extend Medicaid Coverage to Postpartum Women, March 2020
Infographic
State Team-Based Care Strategies for Medicaid-Eligible Women, December 2019
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
