The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus: What It Is and Why You Should Care

The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus was formed on October 17, 2023, by co-chair state Representatives Morgan Cephas, Gina H. Curry, and La’Tasha D. Mayes. Let’s break down what that meant then, what that means now, and why it matters.

Every day in Pennsylvania, birthing people prepare to give birth with hope and expectation. But for Black birthing people across the Commonwealth, that joy is too often accompanied by a sobering reality: they are significantly more likely to experience serious complications or die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts. Behind every statistic is a family forever changed, and a life that all too often could have been saved. That is the urgency driving the work of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus.

Starting with the basics, you might first be asking: What is a caucus? A caucus is an informal group of Representatives who come together to pursue shared policy goals or interests. They serve as a place for House members to strategize and share information on the topic the caucus is centered around. You can think of it as a sort of “club” – they attend meetings and work together to create a collective momentum or action.

Community and advocacy gathering connected to health equity organizing. — Maternal health equity depends on policy, public awareness, and community-rooted advocacy.

Speaking specifically to the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus (BMHC), 52 House Representatives currently belong to the caucus. For reference, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has a total of 203 members. When comparing the PA BMHC membership to that of other caucuses in the House, membership across the 100+ caucuses typically varies widely, ranging from 16 to over 50 members.

Now, you might find yourself wondering why the PA BMHC is significant. After all, as was outlined, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is home to over 100 caucuses. To answer that question, one can look at the evolution of the PA BMHC and the reason behind its founding. At the federal level, a Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus was founded in 2019, centered around bringing the urgency of the Black maternal health crisis to Capitol Hill while shaping policies that lead to healthier pregnancies, births, and futures. Inspired by this and seeing the need for a similar body within the Pennsylvania legislature, Rep. Gina H. Curry says, “The launch of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus is pivotal in creating a narrow focus on the legislative work necessary to eradicate the increasing maternal mortality and morbidity rates throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

These increasing maternal mortality and morbidity rates are not to be taken lightly. Black birthing peopleand infants in Pennsylvania are twice more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts, yet 93% of these deaths are preventable. Contributing factors include limited access to quality prenatal and postpartum care, implicit bias within the healthcare system, higher rates of chronic conditions, and social determinants of health such as housing instability, transportation barriers, and environmental stressors. In both urban and rural communities, hospital closures and maternity care deserts further compound these risks. The data paints a stark picture, but it also underscores the necessity of targeted legislative solutions such as the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus and its initiatives.

But, what has the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus actually Accomplished? In its first year, the PA BMHC focused on building awareness, strengthening partnerships, and laying policy groundwork. The caucus convened briefings with healthcare providers, advocates, researchers, and impacted families to better understand the barriers facing Black mothers across the Commonwealth. Members amplified Black Maternal Health Week, elevated community-based solutions such as doula services and midwifery care, and supported legislation aimed at improving maternal mortality review processes, expanding Medicaid coverage, and addressing workforce shortages in maternal healthcare. Importantly, the caucus created a dedicated space within the legislature where maternal health inequities are not sidelined but centered.

Speaking in terms of tangibles, the PA BMHC introduced its first momnibus in the 2024-2025 House session. This momnibus, a play on the word “omnibus” that refers to a package of bills, contained 8 bills pertaining to maternal health initiatives. 2 of these bills were signed into law, the first of which was a public awareness campaign about postpartum depression, and the second of which allows Medicaid to reimburse certified doulas during and after pregnancy. While these may look like small wins, the latter specifically is a major step in maternal health equity. Between 2022 and 2024, Medicaid paid fornearly two-thirds (66.4%) of all births to Black birthing people in Pennsylvania. In passing legislation that allowed Medicaid’s reimbursement of doulas, trained non-medical professionals who provide physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, lawmakers expanded access to evidence-based support that has been shown to improve birth outcomes and help address racial disparities in maternal health, allowing another advocate to be present within the birthing experience in situations where the birthing person is unable to advocate for themselves.

Next, looking ahead to this legislative session, the caucus is focused on advancing policies that expand access to culturally competent care, strengthen postpartum support beyond the immediate weeks after birth, diversify the maternal healthcare workforce, and ensure data collection accurately reflects racial disparities. They are also working to secure sustained funding for community-based organizations that are already doing life-saving work on the ground. The goal is not just awareness, but measurable change in outcomes. Introduced as momnibus 2.0, the PA BMHC has introduced a variety of bills that would require nursing parents’rooms in state buildings, cover the provision of blood pressure monitors under Medicaid, foster fatherhood engagement, and introduce a Maternal and Newborn Supply Kit pilot program. Thus far, two bills that would provide coverage of blood pressure monitors have passed the House and now await a Senate vote (HB1088, HB1234). Additionally, a bill that supports drug screening and awareness education, in addition to promoting fatherhood engagement in maternal health, has passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate (HB1212).If the Senate votes to affirm these bills, the governor will then sign them into law or veto them.

What can you do?The most important thing you can do is stay informed about mental health legislation in Pennsylvania. When you see a bill is up for a vote, contact your state representative or senator to let them know you support it and that you are watching how they vote. Education is key in the fight for maternal health justice. Make sure you know what a doula is, what a midwife is, what the signs of hypertension and other underlying conditions are, and be sure to have these conversations with the birthing people in your life. Let your neighbor know that doulas are covered under Medicaid, and that their local representative’s office may be able to provide them with a free blood pressure monitoring system. Support local Black maternal health initiatives and midwife centers, particularly those led by Black birthing people. Share accurate information about maternal health disparities within your networks. And if you are a healthcare provider, policymaker, advocate, or community member, consider how your sphere of influence can contribute to safer pregnancies and births

Know the information you can share. To recap, a doula is a non-medical professional who provides support to a birthing person before, during, and after pregnancy. They often serve as a crucial advocateduring the birthing process when the birthing person is unable to advocate for themselves. A midwife is a licensed medical professional who provides clinical care during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, including monitoring the health of both the birthing person and baby, delivering the baby, and managing certain medical needs throughout the process. These professionals are important in continuously monitoring the birthing person’s health. The prevalence of hypertensionamong Black women is approximately 55%. Hypertension is a condition characterized by consistently elevated blood pressure and can be detected by recognizing the symptoms of headaches, vision changes, chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness, though it is important to note that it is often called a “silent” condition because many people have no noticeable symptoms. It impacts pregnant women in that it increases the risk of complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, placental abruption, low birth weight, and other serious maternal and fetal health concerns. Consistently checking a birthing person’s blood pressure before, during, and after pregnancy can significantly increase the chance of catching the condition before it impacts the birthing experience.

The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus exists because the crisis state of maternal health demands action. Its presence signals that lawmakers are paying attention, but meaningful change requires sustained public engagement. Black mothers in Pennsylvania deserve not only to survive childbirth but to thrive beyond it.