NHSA's mission is to be our nation's voice in providing leadership and advocacy for health equity services and interventions that improve birth outcomes and family wellbeing.

The National Healthy Start Association is pleased to report that the United States Senate passed a resolution last Thursday that highlights the tragedy of infant mortality in this country and expresses support for “efforts to reduce infant deaths, low-birth weight, pre-term births and disparities in perinatal outcomes.”  The resolution, S. Res. 299, passed the Senate by unanimous consent and represents the first time in four years that the U.S. Senate has passed a resolution specifically focused on infant mortality and the importance of community-based services such as outreach, home visitation, case management, health education and interconceptional care.    Senator Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, was the lead sponsor of the resolution and Senator Richard Burr, Republican of North Carolina,  served as cosponsor.   Alma Roberts of Baltimore Healthy Start deserves great credit for educating Senator Cardin about the impact of Healthy Start in Baltimore and the need to strengthen and expand services to disadvantaged mothers and families.  In addition, Belinda Pettiford, NHSA board member from North Carolina, has worked closely with Senator Burr and his staff over the past several years and was essential in encouraging the Senator to serve as the lead cosponsor of the resolution.

Resolutions such as S. Res. 299 are non-binding and are used by Congress to bring attention to certain issues.  In September, the U.S. House passed a similar resolution (H.Res.260) expressing support for improved prenatal care and the need to improve birth outcomes in this country.  It had been three years since the House last passed a resolution specifically focused on infant mortality.   This year marks the first time ever that both the House and Senate have passed infant mortality resolutions in the same year.

Click here to read a copy of the S.Res. 299 and here to read a copy of H.Res.260.

–Jon Terry, President, Capitol Youth Strategies LLC