Missouri Governor approves $4.3 million for Mortality Prevention Plan

MISSOURI(KBSI) – The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will release new funding to help improve the health of pregnant women and support their care after childbirth. 

Governor Parsons, approved 4.3 million dollars in funding to implement Missouri’s Mortality Prevention Plan after Missouri ranks 44th for maternal mortality rates.

 Missouri Hospitals Association spokesperson Dave Dillon explains what the new plan may look like. 

“This new investment by the state is to help us understand and to help us transform the way the pregnancy experience occurs and to do a much better job not just in hospitals or clinician’s but in all of the stake holders. To do a much better job, bring resources to do a better job to bring resources and knowledge to the pregnancy and postpartum experience.” 

Based on the pregnancy associated mortality review more than 60 women died last year in Missouri and many more suffered long term health complications associated with pregnancy.

Dillon says they hope to accomplish in the new plan, “To do a better job to bring resources and knowledge to all of the pregnancy and postpartum experience. Whatever clinical things that are necessary around that patient or the social supports that are necessary to be able to optimize the health during that period. “ 

Recently Governor Parsons also approved a year of postpartum care to be covered under Missouri’s Medicaid plan.

Kim Sellers is an Executive Director for birthright, and she says they’ve seen a big increase in woman reaching out for resources in Southeast Missouri. 

“Um I think that with more awareness with the struggle of mental health that there’s less shame and less stigma around it so they’re more willing to come out and talk to us and any concerns they have about they’re pregnancy if its a crisis pregnancy were here for them so I think that’s a lot of it the other is the financials, the financial stability or the lack of that they’re coming in to see us.” 

Birthright says that the majority of women who come to them are single mothers.

Birthright has tons of resources from a mom support group to free diapers, and clothing, to new moms getting a birth basket full of supplies for their newborn.

Birthright also helps parents continue their education.