Spokane, WA Becomes Stomping Ground for the Country’s Most Progressive Education for Parenting Teens
In Spokane, WA pregnant teens and young parents find a safe and encouraging environment to complete their education whilst caring for their children. Lumen High School, Lumen meaning “unit of light,” is exactly that to students all over Washington state. Not only does Lumen create a socially acceptable place for students experiencing unplanned pregnancies who are faced with what can seem like an impossible mountain to climb, but they provide full-day childcare, baby supplies, mental health counseling, and customized education plans. Nationwide only 53% of teen mothers with unplanned pregnancies graduate from high school and only 2% go on to get college degrees before their 30s. We need more educators and administrators in our country who provide the same life-saving and life-affirming care as those at Lumen.
Amid growing concerns over Texas’ recent abortion ban, the Texas Medical Board has offered new guidance so medical practitioners in the state can continue providing the best maternal care possible. Thanks to these new guidelines, doctors can safely provide medically necessary abortions (miscarriage assistance, treatment of ectopic pregnancies, etc.) to women who need them without fear of breaking the law. This will surely be the first of many guidelines from medical boards throughout the nation to ensure we are indeed protecting life at all costs, to the best of our ability.
New Abortion Law guidance by Texas Medical Board
Over $1 million taxpayer dollars were used to run anti-pregnancy center advertisements in western Massachusetts. Billboards claiming crisis pregnancy centers are misleading direct women to a government run website, which warns women against centers that offer “hope”, claiming that they do not provide adequate care, and cannot be trusted. This website does not provide any statistics, evidence, or personal experiences to back up their claims, and is a blatant attack on the hard work these centers are doing to support vulnerable women during pregnancy.
Massachusetts State Rolls Out Anti-Pregnancy Center Campaign
Intel, Oregon’s largest corporate employer, announced that it would double its childcare benefits for employees. This could affect thousands of Intel’s workers, as currently the company hires 23,000 people in Washington County. It is a huge change that may also impact other competing companies, and help set the standard for better childcare benefits among employers in the Oregon area.
Largest Corporate Employer in Oregon to Boost Childcare Benefits for Employees
As of July 1st, doula services are now covered under Medicaid in the state of Colorado. This is a major step forward to reduce starting maternal mortality rates in our country, especially those among black mothers and women of color. There are a growing number of women in this country who feel disenfranchised by the medical community or aren’t educated on what resources are available to them. Being able to work with a doula throughout your pregnancy ensures you aren’t alone in your journey and have a qualified professional with you at all stages and doctor appointments to protect you and your baby up to term and beyond. Medicaid in Colorado covers 40% of births in the state which means this will certainly make a huge impact on pregnant women and their families.
Doula Services Now Covered Under Medicaid in Colorado
In early July, CVS announced a $1 million donation to maternal health services at the Women & Infants Hospital in Rhode Island. These services include blood pressure cuffs and training to help relieve hypertension related complications in the comfort of patients' own homes, as well as funds for the hospital’s new mobile van, which overcomes the barrier of transportation to care after birth. Sheryl Burke, SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer at CVS states “Our commitment to women’s health includes improving access to the services needed for a healthy pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.”
CVS Health Foundation Awards Women & Infants Hospital $1M in Rhode Island
Abortion providers are trying to stop a law which asks patients why they are getting an abortion. Women can decline to answer this question, and those in support of the law desire the information to better support women and their future pregnancies. Representative Ron Bryce states “The growing number of troubled pregnancies in our state is disturbing. People are hurting. The Legislature should address root causes with data-driven solutions - not assumptions and opinions.” Hopefully this new law will allow the state of Kansas to give pregnant mothers the care they need to continue their pregnancies.