Testimony in Support of S 2124 “Perinatal Doula Services” — from RIDWC Chair Liz Gledhill, on Behalf of the Caucus
I’m Liz Gledhill and I’m here on behalf of the Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus.
I’m here to speak in support of senate bill 2124 “Perinatal Doula Services.”
As an organization principled in supporting women in the many ways they present themselves to the world, it should come as no surprise that our Caucus would throw their support behind a bill that makes it safer for women to deliver babies.
Last year, Rhode Island took historic steps to codify existing laws that will protect a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, empowering them to decide when they would like to become a mother. This legislation is the next step in ensuring women have all the rights afforded to them as humans, granting them the ability to decide what kind of support best meets their needs when delivering a baby. More than that, this legislation is about saving lives and closing the gaps in racial health disparities that exist in our state.
The CDC reports that black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than their white counterparts. In our own state, maternal morbidity rates are on the rise, with women of color experiencing significantly higher rates of morbidity than white women. There can be no doubt that maternal mortality is in crisis in our county, in our state, and most urgently in our communities of color.
Much will be said of the budget line item associated with this bill, and rightfully so, as fiduciary oversight is the charge of every elected official. However, human capital cannot be captured in dollars and cents. We cannot consider the cost of this bill without first considering the racial disparity in the data presented. We often hear during these contentious discussions that “All Lives Matter”, but what we are really hearing is “White Lives Matter:” as the data shows, white women are much more likely to survive childbirth than women of color. Our current healthcare model serves white women better than it serves women of color. The true cost of protecting all lives — white lives, black lives, brown lives — is the cost of passing bills like the one you are considering here today.
While no expenditure can recapture a life lost, offering Doula services to ALL women in Rhode Island is just one way we can begin to close the devastating racial health disparities so prevalent in our systems.
I am grateful to this committee and the Senate for passing this legislation last year, and I’m hopeful that you will do it again, and join me in the House to make sure this is the year we truly prioritize ALL lives. Thank you.
Update: the Doula Bill is on track to move out of committee. The Providence Journal published the following article for more information on the Doula bill. https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20200204/senate-panel-to-study-bill-requiring-coverage-of-doula-expenses
