2021 -- S 0821

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LC002682

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK ON APRIL 11TH - 17TH, 2021, IN

THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Mack, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: April 13, 2021

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, This year marks the fourth annual Black Maternal Health Week which was

founded and is led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. This year’s theme is “Claiming our

Power, Resilience, and Liberation”; and

     WHEREAS, The campaign is observed across the country in order to raise awareness for

Black maternal health by enhancing the dialogue, increasing community involvement, and

promoting solutions, policies, and research; and

     WHEREAS, National severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates have nearly doubled over

the past decade, and the incidence of SMM was 166 percent higher for Black women than White

women from 2012 to 2015; and

     WHEREAS, Currently, very little research exists that examines the root causes of the

racial disparities in maternal health in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, In order to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women, systemic

change in maternal health care that ensures that the methods used to address implicit bias and

racism align with Black women’s needs, values, and preferences and address the ways in which

health care systems perpetuate inequality is essential; and

     WHEREAS, The Associate Director of the Office of Research on Women's Health stated,

“Understanding the variations in experiences across socioecological domains between White and

minority women in the United States is important in developing more effective policies and

programs to reduce racial disparities in MMM [maternal morbidity and mortality] and, ultimately,

save mothers”; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates Black

Maternal Health Week on April 11th - 17th, 2021, and urges all Rhode Islanders to advocate for

effective policies, and solutions to eliminate racism, bias, and inequities in maternal care; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

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