New ‘Momnibus’ bill aimed at lowering KY’s terrible maternal mortality rates | Opinion
Three days before Christmas, the community of Edgewood gathered for the installation of the state’s latest Safe Haven Baby Box. These specialized, temperature-controlled units allow parents to surrender an infant safely and anonymously.
The Kentucky Safe Haven Law, amended in 2021 and expanded in 2022, allows mothers to legally surrender unharmed newborns, confidentially and without fear of prosecution for abandonment, to any Safe Haven Facility. This is a loving, safe, legal, and anonymous option for a parent who is unable to care for a child at this time in their life.
Safe Haven facilities are typically a fire station or hospital, which are staffed 24 hours a day. Once installed, Safe Haven Baby Box are accessible from the outside of a building and locked when an infant is placed inside. Once the box is closed, a silent alarm notifies first responders the box is in use, and the infant is removed within minutes. The infant is immediately cared for, including a complete medical examination. Social services agencies are notified and the infant is placed for adoption.
There are 27 Safe Haven Baby Boxes across the commonwealth and two babies have already been surrendered in Kentucky. Fourteen states have similar laws, with a total of 190 Safe Haven Baby Box locations. Across the nation, 24 infants have been surrendered since baby boxes were first legalized and installed approximately five years ago. These babies are all safely in the care of adoptive families.
This is one example of how the legislature is working to protect our most precious and vulnerable citizens. I proudly supported Safe Haven Baby Boxes and all prolife legislation, which is now saving lives in Kentucky.
However, the work is far from done. Parenthood can be difficult, but being a mother in Kentucky is too often unnecessarily so and the state now ranks second in the nation for maternal mortality. This month, I will file a bill to address Kentucky’s high maternal mortality, defined as the death of a mother in the year after her baby’s birth. This legislation, called the “Momnibus Bill” by supporters, will ensure that pregnancy is a qualifying life event for insurance coverage. It may come as a surprise that some insurance policies cover only the delivery, not the prenatal and postnatal care that we know protects the life of the infant and mother.
The prenatal period is the most critical in addressing a pregnant mother’s health issues, including hypertension, diabetes, mental health conditions, or substance use disorder. These conditions lead to serious illness, injury to the baby, or maternal death if left untreated.
The proposal includes mental health consultation and access to care through the Lifeline for Moms Psychiatry Access Program. The measure would strengthen an existing advisory council, expand the HANDS visiting nurse program to include lactation counseling and assistance, education on safe sleep, and research on the role of Doulas in the birth experience. Overall, the measure seeks to ensure that mothers and babies in Kentucky are afforded the best care available and the best chance at a healthy start in life.
Since 2017, the Kentucky General Assembly has passed numerous pieces of legislation to protect life at every stage. This maternal health proposal builds on those efforts and will protect and support mothers and babies in their first year of life and beyond.
Representative Kim Moser serves as Chair of the House Health Services Committee. A retired NICU and flight nurse, and former director of the Northern Kentucky Office of Drug Control, Moser can be reached at kimberly.moser@lrc.ky.gov or 1-800-372-7181.