VSC NAACP supports HB1614

Good Afternoon Chair Tran and Committee Members, My name is Jennifer Spangler. I am speaking on behalf of myself, a mother who lives with a mental illness. Woman who have disabilities need a doula because medical professionals don't always have an understanding of our medical needs. Despite complete transparency during my entire pregnancy my OB practice failed to deliver postpartum care to ensure I remained mentally well. I assumed my OB understood my needs, specifically for sleep, an oversight I paid dearly for when I suffered a postpartum hemorrhage. Birth trauma lingers. My daughter is a healthy 13 year old. And yet those first 4 months feel (at times) as if it was just last month. Please ensure women with disabilities have a doula. Support HB 1614. Give women the beautiful birth story every mom deserves. Increase the number of visits and length of time. We need them. Thank you.

Progress Virginia strongly supports this bill and all bills that will help minimize the crisis of Black maternal mortality in the Commonwealth.