Saturday, December 21, 2024
12/21/2024
Maternal mortality has increased during the past 10 years both nationally and in Texas. In response, Senate Bill 495 developed Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 34 to establish the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force (MMMTF) as a multidisciplinary advisory committee within, and administered by, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in 2013. The MMMTF is charged to study and review cases of pregnancy-related deaths and trends in severe maternal morbidity, determine the feasibility of the MMMTF studying cases of severe maternal morbidity, and make recommendations to help reduce the incidence of pregnancy-related death and severe maternal morbidity in Texas. Through participation in the Preventing Maternal Deaths: Supporting Maternal Mortality Review Committees (PMD) funding opportunity, the DSHS Maternal and Child Health Section will enhance coordination and management of the MMMTF to identify and characterize maternal deaths for identification of prevention opportunities. Participation will support DSHS to identify pregnancy-associated deaths within one year of the date of death, abstract and enter clinical and non-clinical data into the Maternal Mortality Review Information Application (MMRIA) standard data system, support the MMMTF to conduct timely multidisciplinary maternal death reviews, and enter committee decisions in MMRIA within 2 years of death. DSHS will improve data quality, completeness, and timeliness through use of quality assurance processes in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will analyze data and share findings with stakeholders to inform policy and prevention strategies to reduce maternal deaths in Texas. DSHS will build on its existing infrastructure and implement new MMMTF and maternal health and safety strategies and activities. Improved short-term outcomes will facilitate improvement of the intermediate outcome of widespread adoption of patient safety bundles and/or policies reflecting the highest standard of care during the five-year performance period. Increases in the following short-term outcomes are expected to be achieved within the first two years: • Timely, accurate, and standardized information available about deaths during pregnancy and the year after the end of pregnancy, including documented opportunities for prevention; • Increased awareness of the existence and recommendations of the MMMTF among the public, clinicians, and policy makers; • Implementation of data driven recommendations (e.g., evidence-based practices, screenings, and patient education by providers). These short-term and intermediate outcomes are expected to culminate in improved long-term outcomes, including projected achievement of a reduction in maternal pregnancy complications within the five-year performance period. Further, participation in PMD is likely to support outcomes including increased holistic and evidence-based care delivery during pregnancy and the year postpartum, increased access to community-based supports for pregnancy and postpartum women, increased coordination of care across providers and systems, and—ultimately—improvements in population health among reproductive aged women, reduction in disparities in maternal deaths, reduction in disparities in pregnancy complications, and elimination of preventable deaths.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).