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Council Member Farías questions OMB on maternal health program funding
1:25:17
·
162 sec
Council Member Amanda Farías inquires about the lack of additional funding for maternal health programs in the executive budget, despite the council's request for $15.7 million in baseline funding. OMB Director Jacques Jiha responds that $34 million is currently allocated and they will continue to monitor needs and discuss further if resources become available.
- Farías expresses concern about the lack of improvement in maternal health, especially for Black women in New York City.
- Jiha emphasizes that they are not just having conversations, but have already added resources to these programs.
- The council considers maternal health funding a priority and plans to continue discussions on the matter.
Amanda Farías
1:25:17
Thank you chair.
1:25:18
Good morning everyone.
1:25:20
I'd like to begin with some maternal health questions.
1:25:23
In our budget response, the council called on the administration to provide 15,700,000.0 in additional baseline funding starting fiscal year twenty twenty six to support maternal health programs and services.
1:25:36
These include the maternity infant reproduction program, newborn home visiting program, nurse family partnership, and universal home visiting program.
1:25:45
Giving the critical services that these programs provide to women and families, why was no additional funding added to the executive budget to further support maternal health programs?
Jacques Jiha
1:25:56
Currently we have I believe $34,000,000 this funding alone allowing over 12,000 additional families to receive these services.
1:26:12
We will continue to monitor the needs and we'll work with the council if there are additional needs to be addressed.
1:26:20
And as I said, as we move toward adoption, if resources are available, we'll, you know, look at the needs to see if there is do an assessment needs needs assessment.
1:26:30
If the needs are there and resources are available, we will have a discussion with the council.
Amanda Farías
1:26:35
We'd like to have those discussions.
1:26:37
Mean maternal health has not improved over several years explicitly for black women in New York City and I'm sure across the tribal state as well, but we know that there's an excessive need.
1:26:50
We you know, I personally would like to know if you could commit to reviewing the budget for these programs for the adoption and commit for additional funding.
Jacques Jiha
1:26:58
As I said, know, we will work with the council and and if resources are available, we'll have a discussion about what needs to be done.
Amanda Farías
1:27:09
Okay.
1:27:09
And then how does this decision align with the goal of Healthy NYC to reduce maternal deaths in New York City and improve family health outcomes if we're just going to continue conversations and review?
Tara Boirard
1:27:21
No.
1:27:21
Because we know we've
Amanda Farías
1:27:22
assessed in the past that we have a high need in New York City.
Jacques Jiha
1:27:25
It's not just conversation.
1:27:26
As I said, we added in the plan we have 34,000,000 added.
1:27:31
So it's not just words.
1:27:34
We're adding resources to these programs.
1:27:38
But however, if there are more needs and resources are available as we get closer to adoption, we will have a discussion about, you know, if there are additional needs, we will try to address them.
Amanda Farías
1:27:51
Okay.
1:27:51
I'm sure the council and the speaker, you know will continue the conversations with as this is a priority for us in the council.