BLACK WOMEN HAVE THE HIGHEST MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE U.S.

ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, BLACK WOMEN ARE 2 AND A HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM PREGNANCY-RELATED COMPLICATIONS THAN WHITE WOMEN.

A NEW STATE LAW AIMS TO REMEDY THAT BY EXPANDING INSURANCE COVERAGE DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ON THIS, OUR STATE SENATOR LETICIA COLLINS, A DEMOCRAT WHO REPRESENTS THE 5TH DISTRICT, JIMMY LOGAN FOUNDER AND LEAD STEWARD OF CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE BIRTH CENTER.

AND KERRI STEWART, FOUNDER AND CEO OF MELLONATED MIDWIVES.

LADIES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

APPRECIATE SENATOR, LET'S START WITH YOU.

POLICE TELL US ABOUT THE BILL.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

AND IN PARTICULAR FOR BLACK BIRTHING PEOPLE?

YES.

SO AS YOU STATED BEFORE, THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE THE HIGHEST MORTALITY.

I'M GREAT.

AND SO WHAT THIS CREATES IS THE BIRTHING SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR BLACK WOMEN THAT THEY CAN TRUST.

AND WE ALSO WORK CONFRONTING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN MATERNAL MORTALITY.

SO AS OF JANUARY, FIRST 2026, IT HAVE PRIVATE INSURERS WHO WILL BE REQUIRED TO COVER ALL PREGNANCY.

POSTPARTUM NEWBORN CARE THAT'S PROVIDED NEEDLE PERINATAL DOULA WOULD LICENSE.

SO FACT, PROFESSIONAL MITT WIFE AND ALSO COVER HOME VISITS BY BOARD CERTIFIED LACTATION CONSULTANTS, INCLUDING THE COST OF RECOMMENDATION, RECOMMENDED BIRTH BEST OF PLASTIC LED THEM YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S WEDDING INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER A LOT PEOPLE NEED NOT A HOSPITAL OR OR A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE DOULAS AND MIDWIVES.

TAKE A BREAK AND COME TO YOU.

CARRIER WANT TO COME TO YOU BECAUSE THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE FOR BLACK WOMEN IN THE U.S. WAS 49.5 DEATHS PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS.

AND THAT WAS IN 2022, THE CDC SAYS THIS RATE IS, AS WE MENTIONED 3 TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT OF WHITE WOMEN.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THIS DISPARITY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF CAUSES.

THERE ARE CLINICAL CAUSES, YOU KNOW, HYPERTENSION AND POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE.

YOU KNOW, SEPSIS.

BUT THE ONE CARS AS RACISM AND WE'RE NOT SPEAKING ABOUT THAT AS MUCH AS WE THE OTHER TOPICS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING PROGRAMS IN PLACE AROUND THE CITY TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE PROPER WAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT RATE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS 5 TO 6 TIMES.

EXPLAIN HOW THAT RACISM IS SORT OF A BAKED INTO THE SYSTEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, THEY DON'T VIEW THEMSELVES AS RACIST, RIGHT?

BUT BUT WE KNOW THAT THE OUTCOMES ARE SHOWING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND YOU HAVE THESE PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN ACTON.

YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP FOR THEIR POINT, MAN, YOU JUST ASSUME THAT THEY'RE LAZY AND NOT WANTING TO BE ENGAGED.

I'M GOING UNDERSTAND THERE COULD BE SOME TRANSPORTATION HOME ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO PUT RESOURCES IN PLACE THAT ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT PATIENTS REALLY HAVING BETTER OUTCOMES.

AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THAT.

GO AHEAD, SENATOR.

AND THEN JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THIS BILL, IT ALSO A DIAPER PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISPARITIES THERE SO HELP A LOT OF LOW-INCOME FAMILY INCOME TAX INCREASE TO HELP PUT MORE MONEY INTO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 3.

AND THEN ALSO ADDING MORE FUNDING AND DHS TO HELP OUT WITH A LOT OF THOSE CENTER'S AND ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

SO IS LOADED WITH A LOT OF GREAT THINGS.

BUT AGAIN, IT IS TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT BLACK WOMEN FACE MATERNAL HEALTH.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT MORE TO BE I THINK THAT WE JUST GOT THE BALL ROLLING AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS SESSION WITH HOUSE BILL.

5142, JANINE.

SHE JUST MENTIONED THE CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE BIRTHING CENTER.

TELL US ABOUT THE PLANS THERE.

AND AND AND WHITE.

YOU BELIEVE THAT THE CENTER IS NECESSARY.

EXACTLY WHAT KERRY SAID.

AND IN OUR CITY, BLACK ARE 6 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY RELATED.

AND THESE ARE AT 90% PREVENTABLE ISSUES RIGHT?

AND SO WE KNOW FOR SURE THERE PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT IF PROVIDERS TAKE CARE OF CLIENTS THAT LOOK LIKE THEM, BUT THEY HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES.

AND SO OUR WORK WITH HP WE EXPAND A PERSON IS AND IN THIS STATE TO INCLUDE AREAS LIKE THE SOUTH SIDE, THE WEST SIDE WAS BECAUSE WE THOSE AREAS AT THE HIGHEST RATES INFANT.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S DO THOSE AREAS ALSO EXPERIENCED SOMETHING OF A DESERT, IT DIFFICULT NOT HAVING ACCESS TO ME ABOUT ABSOLUTE 5TH.

2019 FOR SOUTHSIDE OB UNITS HAVE AND SO NOT ONLY HAVE BEING THIS CLOSE, WE ARE REDUCING THE NUMBERS OF MEN WITH FREE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO THIS BILL WITH EXPANDING WHAT KIND OF PROVIDERS CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT?

TALKING ABOUT LIVELIHOODS ACCESSIBILITY TO PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO OB GYN.

AND I WANT TO SEE HIM A WIFE WHETHER OR NOT I CAN PAY FOR IT IS REALLY GOING DETERMINE WHERE I'D SO BESIDES THAT DOES IS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO MEET AND THERE ARE NO PERSON IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO SENATOR COLLINS LEGISLATION WORK TOWARDS SORT OF REMEDY REMEDYING.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE TALKED ABOUT THE MISTRESS THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY.

I THINK AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT CHOICE BEING ABLE PICK WHO YOUR PROVIDER IS AND HOW HE WANTS THE YOUR CHILD INTO THE WORLD.

FOR ME.

I PERSONALLY AS A FORMER YOUTH IN CARE BECAUSE I HAD ACCESS WIFE AND A DOULA HAD EDUCATION THAT CAME WITH IT AND ALSO COVERS POSTPARTUM.

AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS OR EVEN KNOW THAT THE SERVICE IS ACTUALLY EXIST.

AND SO IT HELPED ME RAISE 3 HEALTHY YOUNG BABIES ARE BREASTFED.

ALL 3 OF MY BOYS NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THEM.

BUT I THINK THAT AGAIN IS GOING TO HELP SAVE LIVES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL IS DOING IS GOING TO SAVE LIVES.

MOTHERS SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR LIFE, WHETHER GIVEN BIRTH TO A CHILD, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL THE PROVIDER AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FACING WITHOUT THEM BEING BRUSHED OFF.

THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF BLACK WOMEN SEE IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY TODAY.

AND SO I HAD HAPPENED TO ME THOUSANDS OF OTHER BLACK WOMEN ACROSS THE STATE.

BUT THIS BILL IS GOING TO COVER ONE LIVE FROM THE CHICAGO AREA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STATE YOU KNOW, RURAL AREAS.

THERE IS A NO MATTER RACE, YOUR BACKGROUND OR YOUR INCOME.

AND DON'T ANYBODY WHO'S GIVEN BIRTH PROBABLY LOOKS BACK ON THOSE EARLY DAYS, MONTHS, WISHING YOU PROBABLY HAD, YOU KNOW, A MIDWIFE SUPPORT, JANINE AND KERRY, BOTH OF THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE QUESTIONS ARE FOR BOTH OF YOU.

BUT TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MIDWIVES AND AND HOW THEY SEE AND TREAT PATIENTS FROM WHAT THEY MIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH A DOCTOR IN A HOSPITAL OR DOCTOR'S IN THE 21ST.

THE WAY WE WERE STEMS BACK FROM, YOU KNOW, SLAVERY.

YOU HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS.

YOU HAD YOUR COUSIN'S.

YOU HAD NEIGHBORS.

IT WAS A VILLAGE THAT WE BUILD.

AND SO ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WE BRING THAT TO THE TABLE WHEN WE CARE FOR PATIENTS WERE WITH FAMILY.

AND SO WE PROVIDE CARE THAT ENCOMPASSES THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR HOME IN YOUR LIFE.

AND WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT DETERMINES HOW WE CARE FOR YOU AND NOT A LOT OF PHYSICIANS APPROACH IT IN THAT WAY OR TAUGHT TO DO IT IN THAT WAY.

AND SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THE WAY WE PROVIDE CARE IN THE WAY THAT OTHERS MAY GET IT FROM OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

BUT A WISE WE HAVE TIME I CALL IT LIKE SLOW LIVING I HAVE THE TIME TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION UP TO MY SON.

HELP WHEN SOMEONE IS PREGNANT, WE HAVE GREATER BREASTFEEDING INITIATION RATES.

WE HAVE LESS INTERVENTION IS AN INCREASED PACE IN CATS.

SATISFACTION WAS INCREASES THEIR CONFIDENCE.

RIGHT?

YEAH.

JEANINE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THAT MIDWIFERY WAS OUTLAWED IN ILLINOIS IN THE EARLY 90'S AND THEN IN 2021.

DOES THIS LEGISLATION DOES, YOU KNOW, DOES DOES IT SHOW PROGRESS AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU AS A MIDWIFE?

IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.

SO CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIVES WERE RECOGNIZING 2021.

CANINE, BOTH A CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIFE.

SO WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZE.

BUT WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT.

FOLKS WHO HAVE CHOSEN THAT ROUTE TO BECOMING A MIDWIFE AND SEE FANS SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO WORK OUT OF HOSPITAL.

THEY BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CAN ACCESS AND THEM.

I KNOW OVER 10 CPM STUDENTS NOW WHO ARE OF COLOR WHO WANT TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT THIS LEGISLATION WITHOUT AND BEING ABLE TO BEING REMEMBERS THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE REDUCED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHO CAN ACCESS THEM FOR CARE, WHICH IS WHY IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION LIKE THE ONE.

WE HAVE A GOVERNOR, PRESSER AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR LITTLE JULIANA STRATTON AND THE LEGISLATOR, RIGHT?

BECAUSE WE HAVE GET THINGS LIKE THIS DONE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE.

AND I WILL SAY THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR MY COLLEAGUES, DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES, WE NEVER GET THIS BILL PASSED, BUT IT WAS NEED.

AND I THINK BOTH OF THESE YOUNG LADIES HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEIR VOICES AND THEIR EXPERTISE AND JUST TELLING US STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR PATIENTS, THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEN ALSO LIVED EXPERIENCES.

WHAT?

GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.

THANK YOU FOR WE'RE ALMOST OUT TIME.

EVERYBODY ON THE SENATOR COLLINS YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS IS JUST KIND OF LIKE GETTING THE BALL ROLLING, RIGHT?

LIKE WHAT OTHER YOU KNOW WITH THIS BILL WOULD START TO OPEN DOORS FOR OTHER TYPES OF HEALTH CARE REFORM.

IN A FEW SECONDS, I BELIEVE IT WILL.

I MEAN, I STILL MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TALK YOU KNOW, WITH THE MATERNAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO IT'S GOING TO COVER ABORTION BECAUSE ABORTION IS HEALTH CARE AS WELL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.

THERE'S OTHER ISSUES THAT WOMEN FACE AND THERE ARE DISPARITIES THERE FOR BLACK WOMEN.

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT PCOS.

I MEAN, ALL TYPES OF THINGS WHICH LEADS TO CERVICAL CANCER.

BUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES.

YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO.

I CAN'T SAY WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I AM HERE ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS TO HELP PUSH NEEDLE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE VERY JANINE LOGAN, WHAT'S NEXT FOR CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE, BURTON, SENATOR BURTON SAID OR WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THOSE DOORS OPEN.

WE NEED THE CAMPAIGN RIGHT NOW A 7 MILLION DOLLARS OPEN OUR DOORS IN