PA Initiates Black Maternal Health Coalition Grants – Franklin County Free Press

The Department of Health is initiating Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) by announcing that community-based organizations are eligible to apply for grants aimed at addressing maternal health issues across Pennsylvania by forming regional coalitions. Governor Shapiro secured state funding for this effort in the 2023-24 budget, allocating up to $1.8 million from the current budget. Maternal health is a national concern, with pregnancy-associated death rates increasing in recent years. In Pennsylvania, there are 83 pregnancy-associated deaths per 100,000 live births, with 107 deaths recorded in 2020 during pregnancy, delivery, or within one year postpartum. Black women face a disproportionately higher risk, being nearly twice as likely to die during pregnancy or within the first year after pregnancy compared to white women. #placement_511578_0_i{width:100%;margin:0 auto;} Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen emphasized the need to address this health equity issue, stating that maternal mortality disproportionately affects Black women and their families. The Shapiro Administration aims to tackle this by forming regional coalitions to implement recommendations from the 2024 Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) report, with the goal of improving maternal health at the local level. The funding for these grants is sourced from the current year’s budget, where Governor...