The House Children & Youth Committee unanimously adopted House Resolution 26 on a voice vote to designate Jan. 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day in Pennsylvania.

The resolution, sponsored by Representatives Deborah Cephas, Gina Curry and others, "is more than symbolic," Cephas said, calling the day an opportunity "to educate the public, policy makers and health care providers about the maternal health crisis that exists and to advocate for solutions to improve outcomes for all Pennsylvanians." Danielle, a staff member who summarized the resolution for the committee, said the groups supporting the measure include Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children and that the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services registered as neutral.

Committee members emphasized recent state data cited by sponsors. "Pennsylvania faces an alarming maternal mortality rate of 82 deaths per 100,000 live births with more than 93% of those maternal deaths in our state being preventable," Cephas said, and she added that the state has seen a roughly 40% increase in severe maternal morbidity rates from 2016 to 2022. Cephas also cited a March of Dimes finding that 7.5% of Pennsylvania counties are "maternity care deserts," which she described as counties without a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and without obstetric providers.

Cephas and Curry noted recent policy actions aimed at improving outcomes: bipartisan bills expanding Medicaid coverage for doulas, establishment of a Pennsylvania Doula Advisory Commission, the creation of an office focused on maternal health, and more than $30,000,000 in state funding for maternal health providers, programs and initiatives. "The objective is to see the numbers go down, see less lives lost, more lives saved, and better outcomes for all," Cephas said.

Representative Liz Hambridge moved adoption of the resolution; Representative Flick seconded. After a roll call to confirm attendance, committee leadership reported that House Resolution 26 was reported from committee unanimously; the committee adjourned with no further business.

The resolution is a formal recognition aimed at raising awareness and sustaining attention on maternal health issues across Pennsylvania; it does not itself appropriate funding or create new legal requirements.