Working Groups
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia convenes a number of working groups to address priority maternal and infant health topics. While these topics are important to the health and well-being of Georgia’s moms and babies, there were no other groups working on these issues. Please email Laura Register at laura.register@hmhbga.org for more information about joining a working group.
Oral Health & Pregnancy
Oral healthcare during pregnancy is important to the health and development of the baby. The Oral Health & Pregnancy Working Group meets on a quarterly basis with the goal of increasing access to adequate oral healthcare for pregnant women covered by Medicaid in Georgia. The group focuses on the following three areas
- Perinatal Provider Education: Increase the number of perinatal providers who serve women with Medicaid who will assess oral health care behaviors & provide oral health education during pregnancy by 2021.
- Patient Education: By the end of 2021, 50% of pregnant women covered by Medicaid will receive oral health education/awareness during pregnancy.
- Administrative Barriers: Increase the number of oral health providers who serve pregnant women with Medicaid by 2022.
Doula Access
The Doula Access Working Group meets quarterly to ensure all women in Georgia will have affordable access to culturally appropriate doula care. This group works on the following three strategies
- Reimbursement Pathways: Implement a feasible insurance reimbursement plan (Medicaid and/or private insurance) for doula services offered in Georgia
- Hospital Buy-In: Integrate a full spectrum doula care model into at least one Georgia hospital system
- Research: Conduct and complete additional Georgia-based research on cost savings for hospitals based on the integration of full spectrum doula care (including postpartum doulas), benefits of doula care, and family demand for doulas in hospital settings
We support legislation that provides for Medicaid coverage for doula services which improves maternal and infant outcomes in Georgia through increased, equitable awareness and access to full spectrum doula care for birthing person, especially those with the fewest resources.
Georgia Coalition for Pregnant Workers
Georgia Coalition for Pregnant Workers works to monitor legislation around workplace accommodations legislation and increase awareness around worker’s rights.
Outcomes from 2020 Legislative Session:
- HB 1090: Workplace Breastfeeding Accommodations passed
- SB 408: Family Care Extension to 2023 passed
- Infant and Maternal Mortality or Workplace Accommodation Study Committee
Maternal Mortality Stakeholders Group
The Maternal Mortality Stakeholders Group meets to discuss issues surrounding maternal mortality, to monitor legislation surrounding maternal mortality in Georgia, and work with the maternal mortality study committee. The goal of this group is for all women in Georgia to have equitable access to health and healthcare before, during, and after pregnancy to eliminate all preventable maternal deaths in Georgia.
Impact to Date:
- 300 perinatal care kits have been distributed to birth givers across GA free of charge
- Continuing to scale BPSP Program to train doulas and certified peer specialists
- Launching a partnership with Meriwether County School District for PAT home visiting program.
Infant Mortality
Established in March 2020, this group convenes to reduce infant mortality rates to the Healthy People 2030 target of 5 per 1,000 or below for each Georgia county and each racial/ethnic group to address existing disparities.
P4HB
Established in December 2019, P4HB convenes to address low enrollment and utilization rates of the Planning for Healthy Babies program.
Impact to date:
- Produced communications materials, including postcards and posters (Spanish included) developed by group to raise awareness among patients about P4HB.
- Mailed materials to 30 partners across the state that requested an order.
