QUESTION
Council Member Gutierrez Raises Concerns About Midwife and Doula Contract Renewals
0:57:55
·
3 min
Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez questions the commitment to midwives and doulas in light of contract renewal issues and program inconsistencies within hospitals. Gutierrez stresses the contradiction in claiming to value women's health while struggling to support those who facilitate it. Dr. Michelle Morse, representing the Department of Health, acknowledges the concern and discusses collaboration with the state for better reimbursement rates and initiatives to improve birth outcomes and equity. Morse also highlights ongoing dialogues and initiatives aimed at bolstering midwifery across the city.
Speaker 7
0:57:55
My my question is, I love hearing your commitment to doulas and midwives.
0:58:00
I think it's absolutely important.
0:58:02
Something that we're facing citywide is just this constant tossling of we appreciate you midwives.
0:58:08
Your work is paramount, but either we're not gonna renew your contracts.
0:58:13
I know you can't speak a whole lot to it, but I just think it's really important to elevate because it's it's kind of contradictory to say we care about women and we care about keeping black women alive, particularly, and so we're gonna create pathways to have more opportunities for midwives and doula's.
0:58:29
And then C Citywide, either a hospital is shutting.
0:58:32
The unit is shuttering.
0:58:33
Their contracts are not being renewed.
0:58:35
And so I would just love a sense from you all, the bigger picture with, like, if we are saying that this is a solution to keeping women alive, to keeping birthing people alive, then what do we need to do to ensure that we that we mean it.
0:58:50
The council, as you know, was very instrumental in passing a number of these.
0:58:55
Initiatives.
0:58:56
And again, really proud of the work that's happening in Brownsville.
0:58:59
I loved hearing that c sections were down.
0:59:01
Like, it was all very positive and when you investigate things happen.
0:59:04
But But what do we need to do so that we're not having these fights every year?
0:59:09
If we care about mid rise and we care about dualism, we care about women, then why can't we just show up for them when it's time to to pay them?
Speaker 4
0:59:17
Thank you.
Speaker 7
0:59:18
That's it.
Speaker 4
0:59:19
Thank you.
0:59:19
Counselingberg.
0:59:20
Council member Gutierrez.
0:59:22
I also share your admiration for doctors at Hyrem Ignite and the work that the team is doing in Brooklyn.
0:59:29
And we are also really encouraged by those outcomes.
0:59:32
A couple of things I would say in response and completely agree with your concern.
0:59:37
The first is that we do collaborate closely with the New York State Health Department, and that's important because they participate a lot in in setting rates of reimbursement for various services.
0:59:49
We're happy that, finally, Medicaid is actually pay reimbursing doula care starting this year at a higher rate than it had been in upstate for New York City based doulas, which is very exciting.
1:00:03
So that collaboration continues because the state health department is so influential in this space.
1:00:09
We are very excited about our midwifery initiative and would love to follow-up with you and set up some time to tell you more about the progress to date in the initiative.
1:00:19
Helen McGrath, who's a midwife, started working with us last year.
Speaker 1
1:00:22
She was
Speaker 7
1:00:22
one of my midwives?
Speaker 4
1:00:24
Yes.
1:00:24
It it
Speaker 7
1:00:24
is a deep it's deep.
Speaker 4
1:00:27
So we share your concern.
1:00:30
And although we do not directly employ midwives who work in hospitals across the city.
1:00:37
We do regularly have conversations with hospitals across the city who are involved in birth equity work about ways in which they can in prove health outcomes for birthing women and birthing people, and Midwifery is always a part of that conversation.
1:00:51
So we'd be happy follow-up with more on our mid with re initiative.
Speaker 2
1:00:56
Counsel member, Dela Rosa?
Speaker 8
1:00:59
Thank you so much.
1:00:59
I just wanna say your testimony has been great, and thank you for engaging us.
1:01:04
This is such an important topic.