Governor Glenn Youngkin today ceremonially signed SB 1279, patroned by Senator Emily Jordan, and HB 2573, patroned by Delegate Cliff Hayes and originally introduced by Delegate Kim Taylor, requiring all hospitals, licensed birthing centers, and free-standing emergency departments to adopt standardized protocols, known as “safety bundles,” for identifying obstetric emergencies for both inpatient and outpatient care.
“Virginia’s mothers bringing a new life into the world are healthier today, with maternal mortality declining by 50 percent over the past three years. And yet, we still have work to do,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The ‘Safety Bundle’ bills bring a new level of comprehensive care for moms as we work to make Virginia the healthiest place for moms to give birth to babies.”
The Youngkin Administration’s maternal health initiative, Healthy Moms, Healthy Families, Healthy Communities, has centered around three key pillars: improving data, expanding targeted high-quality care, and increasing awareness.
The Governor signed the legislation at Bon Secours Southside Medical Center, Center for Healthy Living. As a part of the initiative, the Center introduced quarterly Saturday clinic hours for Medicaid members in Petersburg. Since the inception of the project, postpartum visit rates have increased by 16 percent.
“Virginia’s women and girls deserve best-in-class care and as mother of four, I am deeply grateful for the work being done by so many,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin.
“Maternal Health is near and dear to my heart — and that’s how I know just how vital this legislation is. Since serving in the legislature, I’ve given birth to two wonderful little girls. Just a few months ago, I almost wasn’t here after giving birth,” said Senator Emily Jordan. “I am so thankful to Governor Youngkin’s leadership in the maternal health arena. He knows what I do — maternal health outcomes need to improve and shouldn’t matter where you live or what your zip code is — every Mom and her health matters.”
“As a mother and Delegate, I have worked tirelessly for the last four years to address the urgent health challenges faced by mothers in Virginia, ensuring new and expecting mothers have access to vital resources and care,” said Delegate Kim Taylor. “I am proud to see my bill become law, despite partisan maneuvers, as it reflects my commitment to prioritizing maternal health and uplifting families. I appreciate Governor Youngkin’s leadership in supporting these efforts. As your Delegate, I will continue working to make Virginia the best state to be a mother and raise a family.”
“Governor Youngkin led the way to keep moms healthy by taking a data-driven approach, ensuring we acknowledged the dignity of every mom and baby, and that we were determined to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Virginia,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet V. Kelly. “This legislation is yet another step in the right direction to ensure that Virginia is the best place to live, work, and raise a family – which includes making sure moms and babies are healthy.”
Governor Youngkin and his team have taken the following steps to improve maternal mental health in Virginia since he came into office:
- Implemented Right Help, Right Now: Announced the Right Help, Right Now Behavioral Health Transformation Plan, prioritizing behavioral health access, quality, and outcomes for all Virginians, which has included support for maternal-infant mental health initiatives, including support in the 2024 biennium budget for the expansion of VMAP Moms+, and highlighted supports for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorders such as Project LINK.
- Issued Executive Order 32 Re-establishing the Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures Task Force: Signed Executive Order 32 re-establishing the Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures, which aims to improve data collection, inform policies, and address maternal health disparities.
- Issued Executive Directive 11: Signed Executive Directive 11 to support healthier pregnant women, mothers, and infants by improving and reporting actionable maternal health data. The data will assist policy makers, health care providers, and families.
- Enhanced and Launched New Virginia Maternal Health Dashboards: Upgraded and launched two Virginia Department of Health data dashboards aimed at offering actionable data on maternal mortality and pregnancy-associated deaths. The data are designed to be used as a resource to establish best practices to assist mothers during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
- Launched the “Ask About Aspirin” Educational Campaign: The Department of Medical Assistance Services, as part of its commitment to improving care for pregnant women, is encouraging expectant mothers to discuss the benefits of low-dose aspirin with their healthcare providers to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease including preeclampsia.
- Increased Access to Doula Services: Signed HB1614 and SB1418 to build upon the successful community doula program by increasing the number of doula visits covered under Medicaid.
- Extended Postpartum Medicaid Coverage: In 2022, Virginia extended postpartum coverage up to 12 months for Medicaid members, a significant expansion from the previous 60-day period. Since 2020, the postpartum visit rate has increased from 63.4 percent to 72.4 percent in 2023.
- Increased Payments for Psychiatric and Obstetric-Gynecological Graduate Medical Residencies: Raised the supplemental payments for all qualifying obstetric-gynecological and psychiatric residencies from $100,000 to $150,000 annually to increase applications and help grow the necessary workforce.
- Provided $2.5 million to Fund Perinatal Health Hub Pilot Programs: Provided funding for increasing the number of perinatal health hubs throughout the Commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Health, in collaboration with the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative, will provide two-year grant awards for community-based providers (hubs) that will improve perinatal outcomes and reduce maternal and infant mortality in their communities.
- Increased Access to Obstetric-Gynecological Services: Introduced quarterly Saturday clinic hours at Bon Secours Southside Regional Hospital for Medicaid members in Petersburg. Since the inception of the project, postpartum visit rates have increased by 16 percent. INOVA Health Center also extended hours across the health system to increase access to expecting mothers.