Boston's Healey-Driscoll Administration is stepping up to bat for women's health, launching a hefty $10 million grant program aimed to bolster maternal and reproductive services across Massachusetts. Coinciding with Women's History Month, the announcement details a three-year plan to enrich the regional landscape of health equity, targeting an expansion in both access and infrastructure within the field of women's health care. Doula services and prenatal care are among the elements included, with a special emphasis on reaching communities racked by profound disparities, as reported by Mass.gov.
The Administration is intent on spreading services evenly across the Commonwealth. “We’re ensuring that’s a reality in every part of the state and investing funds in the communities that need it most,” Governor Maura Healey stated, clearly shifting towards upending the status quo on health access. To effectively narrow the disconcerting gap in maternal health disparities, funds are to be directed with a sense of urgency to tackle those areas with the most alarming needs, Healey added.
With a working budget proposal that includes $1 million for a new doula certification pipeline and fresh policies securing access to medication abortion, Governor Healey's actions seem to scream commitment. “Our administration has made health equity a priority, and we will continue to work to increase access to care in every region of the state,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh affirmed. The grant, which follows on the heels of a report highlighting racial inequities in maternal health, is open for applications until May 1, 2024.
Potential projects to receive funding include remote blood pressure monitoring programs and integration of doulas into hospital birth teams. Outlining the finer points, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein stated, "This grant represents our commitment to reducing, and ultimately closing, the gap in maternal health disparities we see in the Commonwealth." The grant targets to notably enhance the Commonwealth's maternal health system, increasing access, supporting workforce capacity, and strengthening infrastructure in communities most in need.
DPH calls upon organizations to propose projects that are finely tuned to the specific needs of their own communities, aiming to foster an atmosphere where maternal health equity is not just a concept, but a palpable reality. Those interested can submit their applications through the COMMBUYS system, with the state directing its lens toward projects in the 10 priority areas earmarked for advancing health equity in Massachusetts.
