ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SB 1040: maternal morbidity; mortality; report

PRIME SPONSOR: Senator Brophy McGee, LD 28

BILL STATUS: Caucus and COW

                                Health & Human Services: DPA 9-0-0-0

Overview

Establishes the Advisory Committee on Maternal Fatalities and Morbidity (Committee) and outlines membership and requirements of the Committee.

History

A.R.S. § 36-3501 established the Child Fatality Review Team (Team) in 1993, which includes 11 local child fatality teams who review fatalities throughout Arizona and is housed in the Department of Health Services (DHS). The Team works to prevent child fatalities through systematic, multidisciplinary, multi-agency, and multi-modality reviews of fatalities. The Team provides an annual report that summarizes findings and makes recommendations regarding the prevention of child deaths.

In 2011, the Team created the Maternal Mortality Review Subcommittee, which is responsible for evaluating the causes and incidence of maternal fatalities in this State. Maternal fatalities associated with pregnancy are defined as the death of a woman while she is pregnant or within one year after the end of her pregnancy. The Subcommittee is made up of professionals in the field including: OB/GYNs, perinatologists, directors of nursing, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, public health professionals, domestic violence specialists, behavioral health specialists and representatives from Arizona's tribal nations.

Provisions

1. Establishes the Committee to recommend improvements to information collection concerning the incidence and causes of maternal fatalities and severe maternal morbidity. (Sec. 1)

2. Requires the director of DHS to appoint the members of the Committee and to serve as chairperson of the committee. (Sec. 1)

3. Requires the Committee consist of the following members, with at least one member being from a population of less than 500,000:

a. The director of DHS or director's designee to serve as the chairperson;

b. A representative of a contractor from each geographic service area designated by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS);

c. A representative of AHCCCS;

d. A representative of Indian Health Services;

e. Three licensed obstetricians:

i. Two of which are maternal fetal medicine specialists;

f. A certified nurse midwife;

g. Two representatives of nonprofit organizations that provide education, services or research related to maternal fatalities and morbidity;

h. A representative of Arizona's health information organization;

i. A representative of a public health organization; and

j. Two representatives of organizations that represent Arizona hospitals. (Sec. 1)

4. Requires the Committee to submit a report, by December 31, 2019, to the chairpersons of the Health and Human Services committees of the House of Representatives and Senate with recommendations. (Sec. 1)

5. Requires DHS to submit a report on or before December 31, 2020 to the governor and the legislature on the incidence and causes of maternal fatalities and morbidity that includes all readily available data. (Sec. 2)

6. Repeals the Committee on July 1, 2020. (Sec. 1)

7. Repeals the DHS reporting requirement on July 1, 2021. (Sec. 2)

8. Includes an emergency clause. (Sec. 3)

Amendment

Committee on Health and Human Services

1. Prohibits the chairperson of the Committee from being affiliated with an organization that is otherwise represented on the Committee.

2. Requires DHS, in conjunction with the Committee, to hold a public hearing to receive public input regarding the recommended improvements to information collection concerning the incidence and causes of maternal fatalities and severe maternal morbidity.

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6. Fifty-fourth Legislature                       SB 1040

7. First Regular Session                            Version 2: Caucus and COW

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