Posted: | March 20, 2024 12:40 PM |
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From: | Representative La'Tasha D. Mayes and Rep. Gina H. Curry |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Establishing the Maternal and Newborn Supply Kit Program |
The birth of a child entails many expenses and learning experiences for new parents making many new parents feel unprepared to care for a newborn. The federal government established a pilot program where the United States Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with an organization to distribute newborn and postpartum supplies to new parents. This pilot program has the goal of not only reducing financial stress placed on new parents, but also to increase knowledge about services available to help new parents. We plan to introduce legislation that would bring a version of this important program to Pennsylvania by establishing the Maternal and Newborn Supply Kit Program within the Department of Health. Similar to the federal program, the program would give the Pennsylvania Department of Health the option to decide how to best distribute the Welcome Baby Kits including partnering with organizations to provide supply kits with necessary items for infant and postpartum care and educational information to new parents. This program is just one step that can help ease the financial and emotional stress that new parents face and particularly help Pennsylvania’s working families and single-parent families. Providing basic infant and postpartum necessities would better improve health outcomes for both parents and children. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation to establish the maternal and newborn supply kit program here in Pennsylvania. |
Introduced as HB2137