October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. It comes as New York state and the nation are experiencing both an infant and maternal mortality crisis.

Lawmakers and advocates say New York is making progress when it comes to exploring and implementing solutions, but there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done.

Seven years ago last week, state Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn lost her son, Jonah, after she says she was denied care while experiencing complications with her pregnancy.

“I was left to pretty much die, and my son to die,” she said. “Ever since, I’ve been pushing to make sure those who are experiencing in their maternal journey that it's a safe ride, and that laws are in place.”

That included introducing and passing Jonah Bichotte Cowan Law, requiring hospitals and birthing centers to inform and care for mothers experiencing pre-term labor.

She notes that in the years since she lost her son, while awareness about infant and maternal mortality has increased and there is more work being done to find solutions, the numbers don’t lie.

“The crisis is getting worse. New York is not in a better place,” she said.

Bichotte Hermelyn stressed that the legislature needs to continue taking action to address widespread issues including racial and economic disparities.

Some progress came in this year’s budget, the cornerstone of that effort being a six-point plan including paid leave for prenatal care, and increased access to mental health services, birthing places and resources for new and expecting mothers.

“Making sure that mental health is not being ignored, that’s been a huge contributor to our maternal mortality rate,” she said.

So much so that suicide is a leading cause of death for new and expecting mothers. Bichotte Hermelyn is encouraging Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that would make maternal mental health screenings a routine part of pre and post natal care.

Pauline Walfisch, LCSW, PMHC, a clinical director at Helping Hands Psychotherapy, explained that making those screenings routine would decrease stigma.

“Just like they weigh everybody, it’s just something they do,” she said. “There’s not a judgement or stigma attached to it, it’s just part of routine care.”

Making the screenings routine will also make sure no one is left behind in the process, including people who may not feel comfortable being upfront about what they are experiencing.

“We’re not just screening the people we think are depressed, somebody who looks depressed, because that looks different across races, cultures, ages,” she said.

Also on Bichotte Hermelyn’s list of legislative solutions: a review board to examine especially high mortality rates in New York City, and continued expansion of Medicaid support for doula programs.

“I think doulas have been pivotal in helping many women go through that journey, I know it helped me,” she said. “I didn’t have one the first time and I did the second time I was a little bit more aware of what I needed to do, what I didn’t need to do.”