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Maternal Health Financing Facility for Black Women: A Solution to an Urgent Problem

Maternal mortality is a significant issue in the United States, with Black women disproportionately affected. Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts. However, the issue is not new, and despite the increasing amount of data available, the disparities have remained unaddressed for far too long. 

Creative Investment Research (CIR) is among the organizations that believe there is a solution to the problem. Through our proposed impact investing vehicle, the Maternal Health Financing Facility for Black Women (MHFFBW), we aim to tackle the mortality gap and support Black women during childbirth, which will, in turn, benefit their communities.

The Facility, based on legally binding financing agreements containing terms and conditions that direct resources to individuals and institutions capable of addressing supply-side conditions at the heart of the problem, provides critical resources needed by Black women during childbirth. The Facility is tied to real-time monitoring systems that ensure resources are directed to pregnant Black women in a just-in-time manner. According to the CDC's research, social determinants, such as access to nutrition, transportation, and healthcare, are crucial factors in reducing maternal mortality rates.

CIR believes that the Federal Reserve, under Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act*, should be one of the primary participants in the Maternal Health Facility. This is especially true given the fact that the Fed spent $2 trillion supporting large non-minority financial institutions over the last three years. The MHFFBW proposal aims to facilitate access to food and nutrition, transportation, housing, and healthcare, which are all critical resources needed by Black women during childbirth.

While the Facility is an essential step towards reducing maternal mortality rates for Black women, it is designed to take advantage of and to amplify solutions. Black Maternal Health Week, founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, began on April 11 and aims to boost the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of pregnant Black women and birthing resources.

As part of Black Maternal Health Week, several healthcare companies and startups have been identified that are serving needs in this sector. One of these is Mahmee, a Black-founded maternal healthcare company that aims to eliminate the maternal health crisis, particularly for Black and Indigenous women. Mahmee provides access to six services, including registered nurses, lactation consultants, doula care, mental health coaching, nutrition practices, and care coordination. Doula in the City, another initiative, offers virtual doula support and various doula birthing packages. Meanwhile, the Chicago South Side Birth Center, led by birth equity champion Jeanine Valrie Logan, offers a low-risk option for birth and a mixed-risk option for reproductive healthcare to people in the neighborhood and community. These are all candidates for liquidity financing from the Federal Reserve-based facility we have outlined.  

The MHFFBW is designed to support financing for healthcare startups working to address maternal mortality for Black women, as well as supporting broad social initiatives like Black Maternal Health Week. The financing facility provides funding for innovative solutions that focus on improving access to healthcare, nutrition, transportation, and housing for pregnant Black women. By providing financing for healthcare startups in this area, the Facility can help foster innovation and create more opportunities for Black women to receive the support they need during childbirth. Additionally, by supporting Black Maternal Health Week, the Facility can help amplify the voices and perspectives of pregnant Black women and birthing resources, further promoting awareness and advocacy for maternal health in the Black community.

* "Section 13(3) was the source of authority for Federal Reserve lending in connection with the JPMorgan-Bear Stearns acquisition and the support of American International Group (AIG), and it was the source of authority for such broader programs as the Term Securities Lending Facility (TSLF), Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF), and Commercial Paper Funding Facility (CPFF)."

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