HI HB698

Requires the Department of Human Services to collect and publish annual reports on severe maternal morbidity data, disaggregated by county and racial/ethnic identity, beginning June 30, 2022.

Establishes a maternal disparity and health equity task force within the Department of Human Services to review maternal health policies and provide recommendations on reducing morbidity and improving outcomes for women of color.

Task force must submit an initial report to the legislature by June 30, 2022, and annual reports thereafter, including evaluations of data collection practices, standards of care, and barriers to implementing best practices.

Requires the Department of Health to develop and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to administer implicit bias training for all health care professionals at perinatal facilities within 60 days of employment and biennially thereafter.

Training program must cover identification of implicit bias, historical exclusion and oppression, cultural identity, cross-cultural communication, health inequities in perinatal care, and effects of implicit bias on maternal and infant health outcomes.