Norwalk commission director outlines maternal-health bills, child tax-credit proposal, benefits-cliff pilot and AI risks to women’s jobs

Melvette Hill, executive director of the Norwalk Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, told the commission that several Connecticut bills addressing maternal and infant health, family support and workforce training are moving through the legislature and in advocacy phases.

“This bill establishes a task force to study perinatal mental health care, establishes report card for birth centers and hospitals that provide maternity care, and then it requires the commissioner of public health to convene an advisory committee to study doula friendly practices in hospital,” Hill said, describing what she identified as House Bill 7214 (an act concerning maternal health). Hill said HB 7214 is currently tabled on the House calendar.

Hill also described another bill, listed in her presentation as HB 7102, “an act concerning maternal and infant health care,” saying it would develop a strategy to increase birth centers and birthing hospitals in underserved regions with high percentages of Medicaid recipients and would increase Medicaid reimbursements for doulas. “It…