In 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 32 (provided as Appendix A), which tasked the State Health Commissioner with re-establishing the Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures Task Force (the Task Force). The charge was to evaluate maternal health data collection processes to inform policies in the Commonwealth that improve maternal care, quality, and outcomes. The Task Force was directed to report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly and conclude its work by December 1, 2025. This report summarizes the 2024 and 2025 Task Force meetings and the recommendations from the Task Force. The VCU Center for Public Policy (CPP) within the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs provided facilitation services and assistance with writing this report.

Prioritized Task Force Recommendations

The Task Force prepared recommendations to address maternal health data collection, data sharing, and data reporting throughout the Commonwealth. The Task Force recommended prioritizing the following recommendations.

1. Expand and invest in workforce development, especially in rural areas.

2. Strengthen access to care: transportation, child care, broadband access for telehealth appointments, and understanding how to complete paperwork (i.e., health literacy).

3. Collect and publish data on fetal and infant health outcomes.

4. Obtain data on the number of prenatal and post-partum patients who have access to primary care providers, and who see their primary care provider.

Recommendations Summary

See Recommendations 1-5 on numbered pages 2-6 of the report. Additional recommendations and greater detail are provided in the Final Recommendations section of this report.