REP. WATSON COLEMAN RELEASES NEW REPORT ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES IN MATERNAL HEALTH

REP. WATSON COLEMAN RELEASES NEW REPORT ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES IN MATERNAL HEALTH

Report Includes Legislative Agenda in Partnership with the Advisory Coalition on Health Equity

Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2026) - Today, the Advisory Coalition on Health Equity (ACHE), under the leadership of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), released "Bridging the Gap: Improving Access to Maternal and Reproductive Healthcare for Stronger Futures", a report and legislative agenda outlining actionable solutions to address disparities in maternity care.

Despite decades of progress in maternal and reproductive health policy, systemic inequities persist, and in many cases, are worsening. More than one-third of U.S. counties are now classified as "maternity care deserts." It is not accidental. The worsening landscape of care is a civil rights issue stemming from structural racism, historical trauma, and deliberate policies-such as discriminatory housing and underfunded communities-that leave Black and Brown families with fewer healthcare facilities and culturally competent providers.

Following research into the structural failures embedded in the current maternal and reproductive healthcare system, this report focuses on areas where systemic inequities are most acute and discusses legislative policy proposals that directly reflect the needs of those most impacted:

• Expand Insurance Coverage: Guaranteeing continuous prenatal and postpartum coverage with viable provider reimbursement rates.

• Community-Based Infrastructure: Investing heavily in public health clinics, obstetric units, mobile prenatal units, and funding for doulas or community health workers.

• Workforce Diversification: Embedding public health, equity training, and social determinants of health into all medical, nursing, midwifery, and doula programs.

• Enforced Reporting Accountability: Mandating detailed data metrics on maternal and infant outcomes to accurately allocate resources.

The ACHE was established by Rep. Watson Coleman to confront these challenges head-on and holistically through regular engagement with community health experts, patient advocates, and medical professionals in New Jersey's 12th Congressional district; translating grassroots healthcare concerns into federal policy.

The coalition includes health professionals, students, and experts from the following entities: Medina Health Center; Rutgers School of Nursing; American College of Nurse Midwives; American Academy of Nursing; Virginia Tech; Zufall Health Center; Henry J. Austin Health Center; Central Jersey Family Health Consortium; New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute; New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition and founder of Repose Postpartum; Trenton Health Team; and the KinderSmile Foundation.

Learn more about these legislative solutions in the report: https://watsoncoleman.house.gov/imo/media/doc/ache_report.pdf