Budget Update & The Maternal Mortality Crisis in PA

Rep. Carol Kazeem September 26, 2025 | 12:04 PM

Dear Neighbor,

The High Holy Days: Days of Awe

Our office hopes that all those who celebrated enjoyed a joyous Rosh Hashanah earlier this week. We pray your reflections on the past year will lead to the fulfillment of your dearest hopes in the coming year.

We hope that you, your family, and your community experience hope and renewal in this sacred time.

We wish our Jewish neighbors a blessed and meaningful Yom Kippur this Wednesday and an easy fast.

G’mar chatima tova.

Budget Update

We’ve been three months without a state budget, which is hurting our schools and our county and state services.

Our county and non-profit organizations have been forced to use reserves or borrow money to maintain operations while awaiting state reimbursements.

According to the state budget secretary, the Pennsylvania Department of Education withheld about $1.4 billion in basic education funding to K-12 schools in July and August, along with $255 million in special education funding and $99 million in federal subgrant payments. County child welfare programs missed $390 million in payments. Rape crisis centers missed $3.4 million.

Delaware County Executive Barbara O’Malley told county council members at a meeting in August that the county was on the hook for $12.1 million monthly until state funds resume.

The budget needs to be passed soon, or our county government is going to have to make tough decisions about whether some services are curbed or, worse, stopped altogether.

Tell the Republican Senate Leadership that it’s time to pass the House-passed budget. It has been too long.

The Maternal Mortality Crisis in PA

Last week, I went to two important events that focused on the maternal health care crisis in PA.

PA Maternal and Infant Survival & Equity Summit

On Friday, I attended a Born to Thrive: PA Maternal and Infant Survival & Equity Summit, in Chester, PA. It was attended by Cabinet Secretaries, Legislators, healthcare leaders, advocates, and community members to confront the urgent maternal and infant health crisis across the Commonwealth.

The program was designed to elevate community voices and advance policy solutions.

House Democratic Policy Hearing Maternal Mortality Crisis In PA

Earlier in the week, I attended a hearing on the maternal health care crisis in PA that is resulting in hundreds of mothers and infants dying each year during pregnancy or in the first months following birth.

I heard from experts what so many of us already know-- too many of our mothers and babies are dying from conditions that are preventable and associated with lack of timely, quality maternal care.

For too many mothers and their children, whether they live or die is impacted by their ZIP code, their income, and the color of their skin.

A pervasive lack of access to care has increased maternal and infant mortality rates.

Black women in Pennsylvania die at more than double the rate of white women from pregnancy-related causes. Meanwhile, Black infants die at more than twice the rate of white infants, with mortality consistently driven by prematurity and low birthweight. Data shows these disparities are driven by a range of socio-economic factors including the conditions in which families live, work and give birth.

One doctor, Aasta Mehta, Director, Division of Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said what we already know:

“These inequities are not biological—they are systemic, reflecting the conditions in which families live, work, and give birth. If we want to improve maternal and infant survival, we need policies that make people’s lives work— policies that ease economic stress, expand access to care, and strengthen communities.”

To improve health outcomes for both mothers and infants, testifiers recommended policies that increase access to maternal health care services, implement comprehensive paid family medical leave, and address mental health and substance use disorders as core parts of perinatal care.

In June, the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, of which I am a member, unveiled the PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 legislative package, a comprehensive set of bills introduced to directly confront the staggering rate of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in Pennsylvania.

988 support LGBTQ+ youth to continue thanks to Gov. Shapiro

In the wake of the Trump administration’s termination of the national crisis line program aimed at preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ young people, the Shapiro Administration has stepped up to support Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ+ community in crisis. It is providing specialized training to staff at 14 call centers and establishing a direct connection to The Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ+ crisis intervention, advocacy, and education organization.

PA 988 call centers will provide a warm handoff to The Trevor Project.

I am grateful for Gov. Shapiro’s leadership at a time when the federal government has stepped away from supporting Americans in need.

The Trevor Project’s Lifeline can also be reached independently of 988 at 1-866-488-7386.

Check in on veterans’ mental health this September

September is also National Suicide Prevention Month. Pennsylvania’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs reminds everyone to reach out and check on the veterans in our lives, and to be aware of the resources available for those in crisis or in need of additional support.

Veterans remain at an elevated risk of suicide — and one veteran suicide is one too many. The DMVA encourages everyone to reach out to the veterans in their lives and remind them that someone cares about and appreciates them, even if it has been a while since you last spoke.

If you are a veteran in crisis — or if you are concerned about one — free and confidential support is available 24/7. Call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988, then press 1, or send a text message to 838255, or chat online.

Another resources available to veterans facing challenging times is VETConnect, an outreach program that connects veterans and their families with local resources to meet their needs when it comes to finding a place to live, finding a job, getting mental health support, and more.

State grant program funding available

The latest grant opportunities from the state have been released! My office is happy to connect you with government funding opportunities like these, so please reach out if you have any questions or need a letter of support.