(a) There is established a Maternal Mortality Review Committee within the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ("OCME"). The OCME shall provide facilities, staffing, and other administrative support for the Committee.
(b) The Committee shall evaluate maternal mortalities, including associated factors:
(1) That occur in the District; and
(2) Of District residents, regardless of the place of death.
(c) The Committee's duties shall include:
(1) Identifying and characterizing the scope and nature of maternal mortalities in the District and of District residents;
(2) Describing and recording any data or patterns that are observed surrounding maternal mortalities;
(3) Examining past events and circumstances surrounding maternal mortalities by reviewing records and other pertinent documents of public agencies and private entities responsible for investigating maternal mortalities or treating pregnant women;
(4) Developing and revising, as necessary, operating rules and procedures for the review of maternal mortalities, including identification of cases to be reviewed, coordination of records requests by the Committee, establishment of sub-committees as necessary, and improvement of the identification, data collection, and record keeping of the causes of maternal mortalities;
(5) Recommending systemic improvements to promote improved and integrated public and private systems serving pregnant women in the District;
(6) Recommending components for prevention and education programs;
(7) Creating a strategic framework for improving maternal health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities in the District, including reducing disparities in maternal mortality rates for racial and ethnic minorities; and
(8) Recommending training for maternal health providers to improve the identification, investigation, and prevention of maternal mortalities.
(d)(1) By July 1st of each year, the Committee shall make publicly available and submit to the Council and Mayor an annual report of its findings, recommendations, and steps taken to evaluate the implementation of past recommendations, which includes the following information:
(A) A description of the causes of and contributing factors to maternal mortalities the Committee reviewed during the preceding calendar year;
(B) A description of the state of maternal health in the District, including statistics and causes of maternal mortalities; and
(C) Recommendations for systemic changes and legislation relating to the delivery of maternal health care in the District.
(2) The annual report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not contain any personally identifiable information, but may include aggregated data.
(3) The Chief Medical Examiner shall annually, no later than 60 days after the annual report described in paragraph (1) of this subsection is made publicly available, convene a symposium at which the Chief Medical Examiner shall present the report to the public, District agencies implicated by the report's findings, the Deputy Mayors for Public Safety and Justice and Health and Human Services, any relevant health or policy stakeholders, and the Committee's representatives and members.
(June 5, 2018, D.C. Law 22-111, § 3, 65 DCR 4278; Oct. 30, 2018, D.C. Law 22-168, § 3054(a), 65 DCR 9388; Sept. 11, 2019, D.C. Law 23-16, § 3062(a), 66 DCR 8621.)
ApplicabilitySection 7033 of D.C. Law 22-168 repealed § 10 of D.C. Law 22-111 removing the applicability restriction impacting this section. Therefore the creation of this section by D.C. Law 22-111 has been given effect.
Applicability of D.C. Law 22-111: § 10 of D.C. Law 22-111 provided that the creation of this section by § 3 of D.C. Law 22-111 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.
Emergency LegislationFor temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3062(a) of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-112, Sept. 4, 2019, 66 DCR 11964).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3062(a) of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-91, July 22, 2019, 66 DCR 8497).