[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 26103-26104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08063]


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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 73 / Monday, April 15, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 26103]]

                Proclamation 10727 of April 10, 2024

                
Black Maternal Health Week, 2024

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                During Black Maternal Health Week, we recommit to 
                ending the maternal health crisis that is taking the 
                lives of far too many of our Nation's mothers.

                Women in America are dying at a higher rate from 
                pregnancy-related causes than women in any other 
                developed nation. Black women face even more risk and 
                are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-
                related causes than white women. That is in no small 
                part because of a long history of systemic racism and 
                bias. Studies show that when Black women suffer from 
                severe injuries or pregnancy complications or simply 
                ask for assistance, they are often dismissed or ignored 
                in the health care settings that are supposed to care 
                for them. People of color--including expecting 
                mothers--also bear the brunt of environmental 
                injustices like air and water pollution, which worsen 
                health outcomes. Too often, Black mothers lack access 
                to safe and secure housing, affordable transportation, 
                and affordable, healthy food. This is unjust and 
                unacceptable.

                That is why my Administration has worked to address 
                this crisis from the very beginning. Vice President 
                Kamala Harris came into office as a key leader on 
                maternal health and continues to fight for improved 
                maternal health outcomes, elevating the issue 
                nationally and convening experts and activists to find 
                solutions. My Administration's first piece of historic 
                legislation--the American Rescue Plan--gave States the 
                option to provide a full year of postpartum coverage to 
                women on Medicaid, increasing it from just 60 days 
                previously. Now, 45 States, Washington, D.C., and the 
                United States Virgin Islands provide a full year of 
                this critical care. We also made coverage under the 
                Affordable Care Act more affordable, saving millions of 
                families an average of $800 per year on health 
                insurance premiums.

                My Administration also released the Blueprint for 
                Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which outlines 
                actions the Federal Government will take to combat 
                maternal mortality and improve maternal health. To 
                start, we created a new ``Birthing-Friendly'' hospital 
                designation that highlights hospitals and health 
                systems that offer high-quality maternal care--ensuring 
                that expecting mothers know where to go to get the help 
                they need. To find out which facilities are ``Birthing-
                Friendly,'' go to medicare.gov/care-compare/.

                Mental health care is health care--it is so important 
                that women have access to it throughout pregnancy and 
                beyond. My Administration launched the Maternal Mental 
                Health Hotline so that the one in five women in America 
                who experience maternal mental health conditions like 
                depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder can get 
                the support they need. New and expecting mothers can 
                call 1-833-TLC-MAMA--a confidential, 24-hour, toll-free 
                number--to connect with professional counselors. Tens 
                of thousands of women have already taken advantage of 
                this valuable hotline, and we know that being able to 
                access support in times of need literally saves lives. 
                Additionally, we are supporting and expanding maternal 
                mental health screening programs, including for 
                postpartum depression. We are partnering with 
                community-based organizations to help pregnant women 
                access services that treat substance use disorder and 
                support victims of domestic violence.

[[Page 26104]]

                My Administration is working to grow and diversify the 
                maternal health workforce to better serve expecting 
                mothers by helping health care providers hire and train 
                physicians, certified midwives, doulas, and community 
                health workers. I also signed legislation to ensure 
                employers make reasonable accommodations for pregnant 
                and nursing mothers, who deserve job security and to 
                have their workplace rights respected by expanding the 
                use of break time and access to private spaces for 
                millions of nursing parents. I also remain committed to 
                addressing the long-standing inequities that Black 
                communities have faced and that continue to damage the 
                health and wellness of Black mothers. For example, we 
                have been working to end discrimination in housing, 
                make public transit more accessible to everyone no 
                matter where they live, expand access to healthy and 
                affordable food, and tackle dangerous environmental 
                injustices that take the biggest toll on families from 
                communities of color.

                There is still so much to do to ensure safety and 
                dignity in pregnancy and childbirth. This week, we 
                extend our gratitude to all the maternal health care 
                workers, who are on the frontlines of this work. 
                Together, I know that we can make America the best 
                country in the world to have a baby.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 11 
                through April 17, 2024, as Black Maternal Health Week. 
                I call upon all Americans to raise awareness of the 
                state of Black maternal health in the United States by 
                understanding the consequences of institutional racism; 
                recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for 
                urgent solutions; amplifying the voices and experiences 
                of Black women, families, and communities; and 
                committing to building a world in which Black women do 
                not have to fear for their safety, well-being, dignity, 
                or lives before, during, and after pregnancy.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                eighth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2024-08063
Filed 4-12-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P