Lamaze International is proud to endorse the Momnibus, a historic legislative package that the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced on February 8, 2021. The Momnibus is a series of 12 bills that seek to improve U.S. maternal and childbirth outcomes and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates that disproportionately affect Black pregnant and birthing people.

Lamaze is especially pleased that many of the Momnibus bills would provide specific pathways to increase access to evidence-based childbirth education and to childbirth educators. The Lamaze advocacy team is also happy to announce that, for the first time, the package’s perinatal health worker definition includes childbirth educators.

Lamaze is proud to continue its partnership with the Black Maternal Health Caucus and to develop and advance legislation that recognizes evidence-based childbirth education’s and childbirth educators’ roles in addressing maternal health disparities.

See below for a brief description of each bill within the 2021 Momnibus

• The Social Determinants for Moms Act would invest in health social determinants that influence maternal health outcomes, such as housing, transportation, and nutrition.
• The Kira Johnson Act would help fund community-based organizations that help promote culturally congruent maternal health care
• The Protecting Moms who Served Act would study the maternal-health risks women veterans face and invest in Veteran Affairs’ maternity-care coordination.
• The Perinatal Workforce Act would increase and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that all people can access culturally congruent maternal care and support
• The Data to Save Moms Act would improve data collection processes and quality measures to better understand maternal health crisis causes in the United States and inform solutions to address it.
• The Moms MATTER Act would support maternal mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatments.
• The Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act would invest in programs to support pregnant people in jails and prisons for incarcerated women.
• The Tech to Save Moms Act would invest in digital tools such as telehealth to improve maternal health outcomes for people in underserved areas.
• The IMPACT to Save Moms Act would promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and expand health-insurance coverage from pregnancy through one-year postpartum.
• The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act would make investments to safeguard maternal health during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies.
• Protecting Moms and Babies Against Climate Change Act would invests in community initiatives related to climate change to reduce health-related risks promote equity.
• The Maternal Vaccination Act would increase public awareness about the critical protections maternal vaccinations provide.

With the help of policymakers, stakeholders, and grassroots efforts, Lamaze looks forward to increase access to evidence-based childbirth education. Stay tuned for more information about the Momnibus and Lamaze advocacy efforts to promote Lamaze education and Lamaze educators.  

Contact Molly Giammarco, Government Relations Senior Manager, to learn more about these initiatives. 

About Molly Giammarco

Molly Giammarco has consulted for professional healthcare associations for more than eight years. As Lamaze International’s Senior Manager for Policy & Government Relations, Molly monitors legislation regulations related to maternal and child health, as well as advises the Lamaze Advocacy + Collaboration Committee.

Molly received her undergraduate degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts and her master’s degree in public policy from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  She currently lives in Washington, D.C.

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