Clews: Ladies make the New Hampshire economy operate – let’s invest in them

Tanna Clews

The NH Legislature and governor have the chance to help main investments in Granite State women’s overall health and workforce participation this year — that is, if they pass a price range which includes the MOMnibus Act and the Youngster Care for Functioning Households Act.

Each two years, New Hampshire writes a new price range for the state. The price range represents our collective priorities and values. What, as Granite Staters, do we care about? What need to we fund? Who need to we prioritize? The NH Women’s Foundation prioritizes investments in girls and girls.

This year, the Women’s Foundation, along with parents, childcare providers, healthcare providers and organizations, are advocating for a New Hampshire price range that values caregivers and girls with children by: providing girls enrolled in Medicaid access to overall health care for a year postpartum and access to doulas, lactation consultants and donor milk banks expanding access to the youngster care scholarship system and delivering workforce supports to youngster care workers.

Ladies make the economy operate, but we will have to invest in women’s overall health and in the youngster care infrastructure so girls can maintain supporting their households and regional economies.

When faced with childcare concerns, mothers with young young children arrange reductions in their operate hours that are 4 to 5 instances higher than the reductions arranged by fathers. With out access to trusted youngster care, girls leave the workforce.

If youngster care can be identified, it is frequently unaffordable. In our newest study publication, The Status of Ladies in New Hampshire 2023, we identified that the annual median price for an infant in a Granite State childcare center is $13,250, a price that would consume 11 % of the median revenue of a married couple, and a staggering 55 % of a single mother’s median revenue. Childcare providers can not raise wages for their personnel with no passing that price on to households. The Youngster Care for Functioning Households Act invests in our youngster care infrastructure to address these concerns.

At the moment, girls who are enrolled in Medicaid beneath pregnancy eligibility shed coverage soon after two months postpartum. Ladies will need access to preventive, acute, mental overall health and substance use therapy extended soon after two months postpartum. The MOMnibus Act would extend coverage to 12 months postpartum, decreasing maternal mortality and growing prices of therapy for points like maternal depression. The bill would also offer access to doula solutions, lactation solutions and donor milk banks.

The superior news is that the Senate passed the MOMnibus Act and Youngster Care for Functioning Households Act separate from the price range earlier this year. The Women’s Foundation is grateful to the Senate for their help. We’re at the finish line now. If the Senate consists of these investments in the price range, the Property agrees and the governor indicators the price range, New Hampshire will have a price range that. prioritizes moms, girls and households additional than any price range in current memory.

It requires engaged stakeholders (which includes vocal moms, dads and childcare workers) and a true bipartisan work to make these investments achievable. We’re grateful to the legislators who’ve had mom’s backs all session.

Let your regional elected representatives and senator know how you really feel about a price range that invests in girls and their children. Now let’s get a mom-friendly price range passed!

Tanna Clews of Portsmouth is CEO of the NH Women’s Foundation.