Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill last month to address maternal health care and health, and is expected to sign another companion bill soon.
new law Conduct a statewide awareness campaign on postpartum depression. Bill awaiting Shapiro’s signature would establish a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services policy This would give doulas (non-medical workers who assist pregnant people) an avenue to seek Medicaid reimbursement. This helps expand access to our services.
How We Care spoke to state Rep. Gina Curry (D-Delaware) about this bill. she serves as co-chair Black Maternal and Child Health Caucus” supported the bill as part of theMonnibus” A package aimed at improving care for parents.
In this interview, edited for length and clarity, Curry, a mother of three, talks about the bills that did and didn’t make it to Shapiro’s desk, and how she thinks the government can better support families. talked about how he felt.
Spotlight PA: How does being a lawmaker and a mother fit into your life? Is it difficult to balance the two?
Rep. Gina Curry: Balance is something I wake up every day and ask the good Lord for help with. Because on my recent trip, I became a widow last year.now I have a big responsibility of being a single mother… but I have a good village around me that helps me. It helps me navigate this new space and get the job done for the people of the Commonwealth, and it also helps me prioritize my family.
You brought up the idea of having a village to help raise children. Do you think it is important for the government to be part of the village, so to speak?
I definitely think so. Government has a role to play in ensuring that the communities we serve have a positive environment in which to raise their families and do what they can for their families.
When 107 people died Maternal mortality and comorbidity reporting [Editor’s note: this report covers deaths from 2020.]that’s too much. There are too many. We need to see these numbers come down. Finally, a statistic: 92% of births, which women experience through maternal mortality, are preventable.
Therefore, the law; Monnibusa strategic plan with the Department of Health, Department of Drugs and Alcohol, and Department of Human Services coming out of the governor’s office. These are all collaborative efforts we are making to ensure that these high numbers do not occur in Pennsylvania. Or in this entire country. That’s unacceptable.
Being a caregiver or helping your mother can feel like something hard to argue against, and everyone is tempted to say they support it. However, not all bills were passed. Several changes had to be made to get the postpartum bill to the governor’s desk. Do you think the remaining bills have a future?
I look forward to seeing the next bill passed. [to be] Sphygmomanometer cuff. [Editor’s note: One bill would require insurance coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors related to pregnancy care, while another applies to Medicaid.]
People don’t know when their blood pressure will spike after giving birth. I don’t know how dangerous it is. Because at that point in the game, you’re worrying about your baby and not yourself. You are concerned about getting what the infant needs, not what the mother will get. So mothers often have headaches or feel unwell, but they just attribute it to the fact that they are new mothers. A blood pressure cuff gives you the opportunity to monitor your health every day. With education from gynecologists and pediatricians to see these numbers rising, these could be a great way to help women stay healthy after giving birth.
I think there’s so much agreement on birth assistance, whether it’s requiring insurance companies to cover something or having Medicaid pay for something, making agreements about providing resources and support. Why is it so hard to get?
When you look at the cost of things, that’s always a concern. Funding is always a concern. People are like, “How much does this cost?”
All women leaving the hospital must have a baby box. [Editor’s note: Curry has co-sponsored a bill that would provide such boxes.] One of the greatest gifts I give is something called a baby shower postpartum box. I think it cost about $65…and I love that gift. And every mom calls me back and says they were so glad they had what they needed.
I remember we had a big argument on the floor about how not everyone needed it. No, every woman needs it. Even if you can afford it, it’s something you should keep in your baby bag when you leave. Many things happen to women after giving birth. We need to prepare women to avoid potentially deadly situations. When we talk about partisan conflict, I think we’ve reached a space in committee meetings where we can get people to understand, really listen, and think about how we can reach a compromise.
90.5 WESA is partnered with Spotlight PA, a reader-funded, collaborative newsroom that produces responsible journalism across Pennsylvania. For more information, spotlightpa.org.
