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Dear March for Moms family,

I'm reaching out to share some important news with you. Yesterday, we issued a statement [[link removed]]in response to the third COVID-19 relief bill. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, which was signed into law today by President Donald J. Trump, makes significant investments in health systems and the health care workforce. However, the bill falls short of improving health care for pregnant and birthing people, whose needs are being deprioritized as health care providers anticipate the growing impact of the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic hit, our country was one of the most dangerous in which to give birth. Now, pregnant and birthing people (and those who care for them and support them) are more vulnerable than ever as health care systems and clinicians are appropriately prioritizing patients with COVID-19, prenatal and postpartum care is being limited, and visitation and labor support professional policies are changing to allow one or no people to accompany birthing people. Most dire, Labor and Delivery units are being closed to make room for COVID-19 cases.

In the relief bills passed to date, we are particularly pleased to see the strong support for paid leave, temporary Medicaid continuation for pregnant people, and the financial support for states to address families' needs locally. At the same time, many unmet needs remain for growing families in particular which must be addressed as quickly as possible. This is particularly urgent for families with low-wage workers, immigrants and women of color, who already face deep inequities in maternal health outcomes and unjust barriers to health and well-being.

During these uncertain times, we must continue to be strong advocates for the support and dignity of growing families. That's why March for Moms is calling on lawmakers to expand access to and payment for telehealth throughout pregnancy and postpartum; increase access to and expansion of midwifery-led models and birth centers; and prioritize and include families, and women in particular, when making challenging policy decisions at the Federal, State and health system levels.

In the coming week, March for Moms and our partners will be calling on Congress to take action, and bringing together advocates, pregnant and birthing people, providers and survivors to share their stories.

With gratitude,

Katie

Founding Executive Director, March for Moms

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