The Connecticut Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) serves as a statewide advisory body for DPH by providing guidance and coordination across all maternal health initiatives, while supporting DPH and maternal health partners in ensuring all people in Connecticut have fair opportunities to a healthy, safe, and dignified birthing experience.
The MHTF sits at the center of Connecticut’s maternal health system by providing guidance to DPH, helping align legislation, grants, clinical practice, and community insights, while keeping equity, lived experience, and accountability visible in decision making. From examining state-specific maternal health data to implementing evidence-based interventions, MHTF helps shape the maternal health landscape through the development of state-specific plans to guide efforts and improve outcomes.
Task Force Subcommittees
The Maternal Health Task Force has four active Subcommittees. All meetings are publicly noticed on the Secretary of State's Public Meeting Calendar, and information on each Subcommittee can be found below.
Perinatal Mental Health
This group identifies system gaps and develops policy recommendations for a perinatal mental health legislative report (SA 25-7). The report focuses on PMH access, screening, treatment pathways, and workforce development.
Scheduled meeting time: First Thursday of every month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Community and Lived Experience
This group embeds community voices and the perspectives of individuals with lived experience into all maternal health practices, policies, and deliverables.
Scheduled meeting time: First Tuesday of every month, 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m..
Data Evaluation and Quality
This group develops and publishes a Maternity Care Report Card in accordance with PA 25-168 Sec. 124. Additionally, this subcommittee aligns other DPH data activities with broader maternal health goals.
Scheduled meeting time: Second Thursday of every month, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Doula-Friendly Hospitals: Workforce and Access
This group identifies benefits and challenges of making hospitals more doula-friendly for a legislative report (SA 25-7), oversees doula integration and partnership, workforce equity, and expansion of birth centers and hospitals in underserved areas.
Scheduled meeting time: Third Thursday of every month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.