Resource Maternal and Child Health Fellows Program 2025

Saturday | April 26 

9-9:30 a.m. 

Welcome and Overview  

NCSL staff will welcome Fellows, facilitate introductions, provide an overview of the program and meeting agenda. 

Facilitator: Tammy Hill, NCSL  

9:30-10 a.m. 

The State of Maternal and Child Health in 2025 

Speakers will provide an overview of maternal and child health policy trends, including new and emerging topics, as well as recent federal actions.  

Speakers: Tammy Hill, NCSL and Lauren Kallins, NCSL  

10-10:45 a.m.  

Access to Insurance Coverage: Impacts on Maternal and Infant Health  

Insurance coverage for moms and infants plays an important role in ensuring health and well-being during and after pregnancy. This session will cover current trends on accessing insurance, the impacts of insurance coverage on maternal and infant health and legislative policy options. 

Moderator: Kendall Speer, NCSL 

Speaker: Jenny Haley, principal research associate, Urban Institute 

11 a.m.-Noon 

Maternal Health Workforce and Birth Settings 

With rising hospital obstetric unit closures and persistent health workforce shortages, states are taking action to strengthen their maternal and child health workforce and improving the quality of care. This session will focus on ways states are supporting doulas, midwives and OB/GYNs, and the different places where women can give birth, including accredited birth centers and homebirths.  

Moderator: Tammy Hill, NCSL  

Speakers: Dr. Ann Borders, executive director and obstetric lead, Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative 

Nikki Boyd, director, maternal infant health initiatives, March of Dimes  

Kendall Speer, NCSL 

Noon-1:15 p.m. 

Policy Roundtable Discussions  

Fellows will have the opportunity to connect with one another and experts during lunch on maternal and child health data, policy and trends.  

1:15-2:15 p.m. 

Infant and Child Nutrition  

In 2023, according to the CDC and FDA just over half of surveyed students consumed fruits (55%) or vegetables (58%) daily, while 18% of U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity. Adequate nutrition is essential for a child’s physical, emotional and cognitive development, while inadequate nutrition can result in stunted growth, developmental delays, poor mental health, lower grades and increased absenteeism. This session will explore strategies to improve infant and child nutrition ranging from prenatal nutrition support to school meal programs. 

Moderator: Kelly Hughes, NCSL 

Speakers: Garin Strobl, J.D., staff attorney, Public Health Law Center’s Healthy Eating and Active Living Team 

Lauren Kallins, NCSL 

2:15-2:45 p.m. 

Action Planning and Networking Activity  

Facilitator: Tammy Hill, NCSL  

3-4:15 p.m. 

Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing  

The rates of poor mental health remain high among children and adolescents, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. This session will provide an overview of current trends as well as explore policy levers to improve youth mental health and wellbeing ranging from prevention to treatment. 

Moderator: Flora Fouladi, NCSL  

Speaker: Catilin Hochul, vice president of public policy, Inseparable  

4:15-4:30 p.m. 

Wrap Up  

Final thoughts for the day. 

Sunday | April 27 

9-9:15 a.m. 

Welcome and Review  

NCSL staff will recap and reflect on day 1, key takeaways so far and provide an overview of the day’s agenda.  

Facilitator: Kendall Speer, NCSL  

9:15-10:15 a.m. 

Preventing Mortality: Maternal Mental Health  

Mental health conditions are the most common complication in pregnancy and childbirth, affecting at least 1 in 5 women. It is also the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths—80% of which are considered preventable. This session will provide an overview of maternal mental health as a primary driver of maternal mortality, along with evidence-informed strategies for prevention, intervention and treatment options.  

Moderator: Tammy Hill, NCSL 

Speaker: Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, founder, policy and partnership director, Maternal Mental Health Alliance 

10:30-11:30 a.m. 

Bringing Baby Home: A Journey to Healthy Beginnings 

This session will explore policy levers to support families and improve health outcomes such as home visiting, childcare and fatherhood programming. 

Moderator: Flora Fouladi, NCSL  

Speakers: Dr. Craig Garfield, professor and pediatrician, Northwestern University 

Lauren Kallins, NCSL 

11:30-11:45 a.m.  

Action Planning  

11:45-Noon 

Wrap Up and Next Steps