Support Doula & Midwifery Bills in Missouri!

I urge you to support HB1446 (Johnson) HB2632 (Hausman), HB2654 (Bosley), and HB2671 (Gragg), which create a registration process to allow health insurance reimbursement of doula services, as well as SB1238 (Washington) and SB1222 (Arthur), which also include midwifery services. For individuals who want to start or grow their families in Missouri, our state remains one of the most dangerous to give birth as Missouri ranks 44th in the country for maternal mortality. The Missouri Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Report found that Black birthing parents are 3-4 times more likely to die within a year of pregnancy than their white counterparts. The same review board found that 82% of pregnancy related deaths in Missouri were “determined to be preventable.” Recommendations for addressing racial and economic disparities in maternal health in Missouri named in the report include increased access to mental health resources throughout pregnancy, increased coverage of postpartum care for low-income mothers and families, and increased uniformity in trauma-informed and culturally competent practices. Doula services empower Missourians to have healthy and safe pregnancies and to give birth in safe and supportive environments on their own terms. This bill would allow for Missourians’ access to these vital resources to be more equitable and accessible to people and families without the resources to pay out of pocket. Culturally competent care means you understand the health disparities and inequities that happen to Black and brown people and in comparison to their white counterparts. Doulas look at care from a lens of what happened to a person, as opposed to what’s wrong with them. Increasing access to doulas, particularly for Black women and birthing parents, is proven to improve birth outcomes and is an essential component of addressing the high rates of maternal mortality in our region. Often efforts to fund doulas require them to be connected to a hospital or large practice– This excludes community based doulas, often with some of the strongest connections to their communities, from access to support. These bills would create a registration service for doulas who want their clients to have access to state reimbursement for their services, but would not prevent doulas from operating without registration. Doulas are an essential part of the reproductive healthcare provider network and are uniquely able to provide supportive care to pregnant people no matter their decision or pregnancy outcome. Doulas are also trusted sources on reproductive health education such as providing information related to fertility, nutrition, contraception, pregnancy health, breastfeeding, and quality infant care. I urge you to improve health outcomes for all Missouri parents and children by supporting these bills.