March 30, 2020, River City News
The following op-ed is written by State Rep. Attica Scott (D-Louisville)
As the only Black woman member of Kentucky’s state legislature and single mother of two, I know the importance of representing all of my constituents and leaving no one behind. Far too often in Frankfort, bills are passed and signed into law that will actually harm children who look like mine, hurt moms like me who know what it’s like to live paycheck-to-paycheck or no check-to-no check, or harm people of color who are ignored and left behind—if not left out altogether.
In my role, I bring with me experiences that many of my peers in the legislature don’t, which drive my work as a public servant, advocate, and leader in my community.
That’s why I am committed to addressing the deep racial disparities in maternal and infant health in my home state and promoting sexual, reproductive, and maternal health for Black women and girls, who face the greatest barriers to health care in Kentucky.
The United States currently has the highest maternal death rates in the industrialized world. Maternal death rates in the U.S. and Kentucky are significantly higher for Black women, who are four times more likely to die from pregnancy and birth-related causes than white women. That’s why I have introduced House Bill 138, the Maternal CARE Act, to address racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates. The bill will require that we track maternal deaths, provide Medicare reimbursement for qualified doula care, and mandate implicit bias training for perinatal medical professionals.
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