Senate Resolution No. 1259
BY: Senator COMRIE
HONORING the Birth by Queens Foundation for its
leadership in advancing equitable, community-based
maternal health care
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership in promoting
public health, advancing health equity, and improving outcomes for
families and communities across the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
the Birth by Queens Foundation for its leadership in advancing
equitable, community-based maternal health care and for its efforts to
establish the first freestanding birth center in the Borough of Queens;
and
WHEREAS, Birth centers are freestanding healthcare facilities that
provide safe, midwifery-led care supporting pregnancy, birth,
postpartum, newborn care, and family wellness; and
WHEREAS, Birth centers are guided by the principles of safety,
prevention, patient- and family-centered care, appropriate medical
intervention, shared decision-making, cultural sensitivity, and
cost-effectiveness; and
WHEREAS, Over 400 birth centers across the United States provide a
broad range of services including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum
care, wellness exams, newborn exams, STI screening and treatment,
contraceptive care, and family planning services; and
WHEREAS, Decades of research-including two large-scale national
birth center studies and the CMS-funded Strong Start for Mothers and
Newborns Initiative-have demonstrated that midwifery-led birth centers
significantly improve birth outcomes, reduce cesarean sections, lower
rates of preterm and low-birthweight births, increase breastfeeding
rates, and provide cost-effective care for childbearing families; and
WHEREAS, Studies confirm that culturally centered, community-based
birth centers improve care experiences for families in rural, minority,
and underserved communities while helping to address persistent racial
and geographic disparities in perinatal care; and
WHEREAS, New York is one of eight state chapters of the American
Association of Birth Centers, yet there are currently only eight birth
centers operating across the entire State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Despite being home to 2.3 million residents, the Borough of
Queens-one of the most diverse communities in the nation-currently has
no freestanding birth center available to serve its families and address
local maternal health disparities; and
WHEREAS, Birth By Queens Foundation is actively leading efforts to
establish the first freestanding birth center in Queens, representing a
vital reinvestment in the health, wellness, and future of Queens
families; and
WHEREAS, Through its leadership and advocacy, Birth By Queens
Foundation is addressing longstanding maternal health disparities,
expanding access to midwifery-led and culturally centered care, and
working to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Queens and
New York City; and
WHEREAS, The birth center model represents a proven solution to the
maternal health crisis in the United States and is a vital component of
addressing inequities and improving maternal health outcomes in New York
State; and
WHEREAS, Expanding access to birth center care in Queens and
throughout New York will help ensure that all individuals have access to
safe, respectful, person-centered, and community-rooted maternity care;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Birth By Queens Foundation for its commitment, leadership, and
advocacy in advancing equitable maternal health care and for its efforts
to establish the first freestanding birth center in the Borough of
Queens; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Birth By Queens Foundation.
