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House Budget Proposal Seeks to Eliminate Healthy Start, a Proven Program to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality
By Kay Johnson For more than 30 years, the federal Healthy Start program has been investing in community-based solutions to reduce maternal and infant mortality in communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the U.S. national average. At a time when many are rightly calling for more community and family engagement to reduce […]
A Look at Maternal Health Legislation in the 118th Congress
By: Tanesha Mondestin and Kay Johnson Maternal health continues to be a priority for many Members of Congress. We previously scanned maternal health legislation that Members of Congress may consider in the 2022 “Lame Duck” session. We revisited this topic this election year to consider proposals pending in the 118th Congress as their chance of […]
Congressional Appropriations Proposals Cut Maternal Health Investments
By: Elisabeth Wright Burak, Kay Johnson, and Tanesha Mondestin In 2022, the maternal mortality rate for 2022 decreased to 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 32.9 in 2022. Black and Indigenous mothers have maternal mortality rates much higher than other racial/ethnic groups. And beyond the narrower category of maternal mortality […]
States Make Strides, Share Lessons in Financing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
By: Alex Busuito In the first five years of life, children develop the social, emotional, and cognitive capacities that are the foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing. A significant financial investment in a robust system of care to support the mental health of babies, young children, and their caregivers goes a long way towards increasing […]
Unpacking the Unwinding: Medicaid to Marketplace Coverage Transitions
By Emma Walsh-Alker Background As Medicaid unwinding draws to a close, millions of people have had to find new health coverage options, many of them through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces. What do we know about how they have fared, and whether state efforts to smooth coverage transitions have been successful? Following the April 2023 […]