CHA News

Resources Available to Address Disparities and Bias in Maternity Care

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Senate Bill (SB) 464 (Mitchell, D-Los Angeles) requires California hospitals to educate perinatal care staff about implicit bias. This requirement is in response to racial and ethnic disparities that have continued to persist in maternal mortality and morbidity, despite strong strides California hospitals have made to improve the overall maternity care.   

To assist hospitals, the Hospital Quality Institute has launched the Hospital Strategies for Combating Health Care Disparities web page. The page provides information and resources to help hospitals measure, understand, and alleviate disparities in care. 

An e-learning course for perinatal staff and providers is being provided by California Health Care Foundation and Diversity Science. The course is free of charge to hospitals, aligns with the training requirements of SB 464, and provides trainees with information and skills for mitigating racism and negative effects of implicit bias. The first of the three course modules is now available, while the complete course is expected to be ready by February 2021.