Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality public meetings in 2021

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will meet to review previous meeting notes, receive legislative updates on freestanding birthing facilities and Title X, hear workgroup reports on mental health, telehealth, and postpartum care, and get updates on perinatal quality and mortality surveillance projects. No specific decisions or dollar amounts are listed on this agenda.

• Review/approval of previous meeting notes
• Legislative updates on freestanding birthing facilities and Title X restrictions
• Mental Health, Telehealth/Telemedicine, and Postpartum Care workgroup reports
• Updates on Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC), Pregnancy Associated Mortality Surveillance (PAMR), and Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)
• March of Dimes – Better Birth Outcomes update

The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from July and October 2021. Members received legislative updates on maternal health, doula registries, and newborn screening, and reviewed progress from various perinatal care workgroups.

• Approved July 2021 meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Approved October 2021 meeting minutes (unanimous)

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will review updates regarding the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) report. The meeting also includes presentations on the LaPQC Safe Births/Birth Designation Initiative and legislative updates.

• Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) report and updates
• LaPQC- Safe Births/Birth Designation Initiative presentation
• Legislative updates

The Commission reviewed data from the 2018 Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review report and the Birth Ready Designation Initiative. Members discussed recommendations for system responses and maternal death reporting. No formal votes or policy decisions were recorded.

• Reviewed 2018 PAMR Report findings and prevention efforts
• Reported 16 of 30 reviewed facilities awarded Birth Ready Designation for Jan-June 2021
• Received updates on Doula Registry and Office of Women’s Health cost assessment

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will review previous meeting notes and receive brief updates on authorized projects. The agenda includes discussions regarding the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative, legislative updates, and reports from various workgroups.

• Perinatal Depression Screening Initiative presentation
• Opioid Pilot project NOWS update
• Pregnancy Associated Mortality Surveillance (PAMR) update
• Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) update
• Reports from Telehealth, Postpartum Care, and Mental Health workgroups

The Commission approved the May 2021 meeting notes. Members received updates on perinatal depression screening, opioid pilot projects, and several pieces of passed legislation regarding newborn screening and maternal health.

• Approved May 2021 meeting notes (unanimous)

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will meet to approve previous meeting notes and receive a presentation on the Louisiana WIC program. Members will also discuss legislative session updates and hear reports on several authorized projects, including the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative, Pregnancy Associated Mortality Surveillance, Fetal Infant Mortality Review, and an Opioid Pilot project. Additional updates will cover maternity levels of care, healthy moms/babies initiatives, free-standing birthing facilities, and March of Dimes programs. Subcommittee reports from planning, membership, mental health, postpartum care, and telehealth workgroups are also scheduled.

• Presentation on Louisiana WIC by Leslie Lewis
• Legislative session updates
• Updates on LaPQC, PAMR, FIMR, Opioid Pilot, and The Gift projects
• Reports on Maternity Levels of Care and Free Standing Birthing Facilities
• Subcommittee reports: Planning, Membership, Mental Health, Postpartum Care, Telehealth

The Commission unanimously approved the meeting notes from March 18, 2021. Members received updates on Louisiana WIC services and the status of several health-related bills in the legislative session. The body also reviewed progress on the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative and the upcoming 2018 PAMR Report.

• Approved March 18, 2021 meeting notes (unanimous)

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will meet via teleconference to conduct voting items and receive project updates. The agenda includes ratifying comments for a Medicaid RFP and discussing the Safe Birth’s Initiative Labor Culture Survey.

• Ratification of comments to Medicaid RFP
• Voting on membership vacancies
• Review of Safe Birth’s Initiative - Labor Culture Survey
• Presentation of Women’s Policy and Research Commission Annual Report
• Updates on Pregnancy Associated Mortality Surveillance (PAMR) and Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)

The Commission unanimously approved recommendations to fill vacancies for a Pediatrician, Neonatal Nurse, and Nurse Practitioner. Members also ratified comments submitted to Medicaid regarding an RFP and appointed Emily VanGompel as an agent for the Labor Culture Survey.

• Approved meeting notes for Nov 2020, Jan 2021, and Feb 2021 (unanimous)
• Ratified comments submitted to Medicaid regarding the RFP (unanimous)
• Approved forwarding membership recommendations for Pediatrician, Neonatal Nurse, and Nurse Practitioner to the Office of Boards and Commissions (unanimous)
• Approved Emily VanGompel to serve as an agent of the Commission for the Labor Culture Survey

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Commission discussed and recommended specific edits to the Free Standing Birthing Facility Health Standards document. Dr. Gillispie will update the document before it is circulated to members and sent to Health Standards for finalization.

• Recommended update to Section 6739 to require two staff trained in BLS and NRP attend deliveries
• Recommended update to Section 6749 to include screening for family planning and postpartum depression

Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality

The Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality will meet to discuss 2021 priorities and project updates. The body is scheduled to vote on comments regarding a Medicaid RFP.

• Vote on comments to Medicaid RFP
• Discussion of 2021 Perinatal Commission Priorities and Workgroups
• Updates on Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC)
• Updates on Pregnancy Associated Mortality Surveillance (PAMR)
• Updates on Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)/Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR)

The Commission established three new workgroups focusing on mental health, post-partum care, and telehealth. No formal votes were taken as a quorum was not present, preventing the approval of previous meeting notes and the formal adoption of a Medicaid RFP white paper.

• Established Mental Health, Post-Partum, and Telehealth/Telemedicine workgroups
• Previous meeting notes not approved due to lack of quorum
• Formal adoption of Medicaid RFP white paper tabled pending a quorum