California ‘Momnibus’ Act Tackles Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom Oct. 4, signed SB 65, the California Momnibus Act, designed to improve maternal and infant outcomes – particularly for families of color. 

Authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) with support from maternal health and racial justice groups across California, the bill will improve research and data collection on racial and socio-economic factors that contribute to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality in communities of color. 

To close the existing racial gaps in maternal and infant mortality, SB 65 codifies and strengthens the work of the Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Committee. The committee investigates pregnancy-related deaths and make recommendations on how to best avoid these preventable tragedies; improves data collection in the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review process; creates a fund to support the midwifery workforce, upon appropriation from the Legislature; establishes a stakeholder workgroup to support implementation of the new Medi-Cal doula benefit; and reduces CalWORKs paperwork requirements for pregnant women.

Research has pointed to structural racism and other socio-economic factors as playing key roles in causing racial and geographic disparities in birthing outcomes for people of color. 

SB 65 builds upon the 2021-22 state budget’s investments to tackle racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. They include Medi-Cal coverage for doulas, extending Medi-Cal eligibility for postpartum people, providing easier access to CalWORKs for pregnant people and establishing a guaranteed income pilot program that prioritizes pregnant Californians with low-incomes. In 2019, Gov. Newsom signed SB 464 by Senator Holly Mitchell, which also works to reduce the Black maternal mortality rate by requiring all perinatal health care providers to undergo implicit bias training.