Gov. Tony Evers announced he will include $28 million as a part of his proposed budget in an effort to improve and increase access to health care programs for women and infants, as well as reduce the racial inequities in early childcare.
The “Healthy Women, Healthy Babies” initiative will aim to improve women's access to preventative care such as cancer screenings, health exams and STI testing, supporting healthier pregnancies and births and addressing racial disparities in maternal and child health according to a release.
Between 2014 and 2016 the infant mortality rate of white infants was 4.8 per 1,000 live births, while the rate of black infants was 14.2 deaths per 1,000 live births according to the release. Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison, commented on the disparity.
“I am proud to stand with Governor Evers as we work to make Wisconsin a more just and equitable state for all communities. As a black mother, the issue of infant and maternal mortality is personal. Wisconsin unfortunately has the second largest gap in the nation for infant mortality rates between white and black infants,” Stubbs said in a release.
In an effort to reduce the number of infant deaths in the state, Gov. Evers’ budget will invest in public health care infrastructure by establishing an Infant Mortality Prevention Program within the Department of Health Services.
Gov. Evers’ proposal will also reintroduce Planned Parenthood as a trusted health care service provider by repealing prohibitions to the Title V and X funding eligibility. These changes will make Planned Parenthood capable of receiving federal funds.
Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life, Heather Weininger, took issue with this element of Evers’ proposed spending plan.
“We agree, Governor Evers, we can’t have healthy communities without healthy women and babies. And the first step in ensuring they are safe and healthy is to guarantee Planned Parenthood is not involved in the destruction of lives through abortion across our great state,” Weiniger said in a statement.
In addition to policies surrounding Planned Parenthood, Evers hopes to bring healthcare to disadvantaged areas.
Wisconsin has a shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists in low-populated and rural communities according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Evers hopes to combat these issues by increasing funding for home visiting programs which especially impacts women and children living in poverty.
Evers is planning to release his proposed budget a week from today according to the Cap Times.
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