Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass)

We are thrilled to be launching Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass) today! Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass) has created the first-of-its-kind assessment and benchmarking tool, RMH Compass Survey, that establishes a comprehensive way in which to  measure workplace benefits in these areas.  Employers can take the RMH Compass survey - www.RMHCompass.org - to see how their company’s #reproductivehealth and #maternalhealth benefits stack up. Imagine a society where all workers have access to the care they need and deserve—a society where every employee’s health and well-being is prioritized.When employees are valued and have the ability to take care of themselves and their families, both workers and workplaces thrive.      Want to help? Spread the word to your employers and those you know! And, follow us to learn more and be among the first to see the results. #RMHCompass #healthyequity #workerequity #hrbenefits

We spend every day working to advance access to #reproductivehealth and #maternalhealth benefits for American workers, but June 24th holds special significance given it marks the date when millions of Americans lost access to a critical health service. Thank you Kelly Gardiner for using this moment as a reminder of the many ways each of us can work to advance #womenshealth and #familyhealth. We're grateful for your wisdom and expertise advising our communications strategy.

We are grateful for the leadership of Alexis McGill Johnson of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Heather Foster of Lyft for leading a conversation last week at Social Innovation Summit about the important role of business in ensuring America's workforce has access to a full-range of #reproductivehealth and #maternalhealth benefits. Their discussion referenced Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass) as a useful tool for #corporateengagement in this area. Thank you for the support!

We’re thrilled to welcome three new directors to the Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass) Board of Directors!  As we scale our efforts working with corporate America to provide best-in-class reproductive and maternal health benefits, these advisors bring operational experience and strategic leadership that will ensure we grow with a focus on sustainability and longevity. Shawnie, Shelley and Maddie join current board members, Danielle Robinson Bell and Flory Wilson.  Meet our board members: RaShawn Hawkins, SHRM-CP : “My motivation for joining the board of RMH Compass is my belief that everyone deserves access to the healthcare they need. Educating employers about the needs of the reproductive community ensures that they make informed decisions that impact their workforce. I'm excited to see RMH Compass set the standard for reproductive care and guide employers on a path to more comprehensive and holistic care for their employees and their families.” Madeleine L.:  “Employers can play a powerful role in advocating for best-in-class reproductive and maternal health benefits for their employees. Their advocacy has a powerful ecosystem impact; where there is robust payment and reimbursement, we should see expanded, high quality options for reproductive and maternal care.  I am excited to see the impact of greater transparency that RMH Compass provides for employees. It is important for workers to understand the benefits they have access to and know how those benefits rank across industry peers.” Shelley Alpern : "I'm excited to serve on the board of RMH Compass. In a remarkably brief period of time, RMH Compass has constructed badly-needed tools we need to hold employers accountable for providing comprehensive reproductive and maternal health care to their workers, including an employer survey tool and standards for best practices that will serve as the basis for benchmarking and leadership recognition. These tools will serve all workers, private and public sector alike, as well as companies, investors, governments, researchers and numerous other stakeholders." Danielle Robinson Bell : “Being an RMH Compass board member is an extension of my work which is all about business impact, DEI, and stakeholders. I’m excited for RMH Compass to be a meaningful voice in this space and to raise the standard of workplace policies & practices for reproductive and maternal health.” Check out the picture below from our recent virtual board meeting. We are excited to have you join our team! #welcome

Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass is growing! We're delighted to introduce Maya Schoucair, Usama Faheem and Anna DeBettencourt as our 2024 Research Fellows 🙌 Last week, our whole team gathered on the beautiful campus of University of California, Berkeley for training and team-building for the week. Maya, Usama and Anna will be working with us this summer to launch RMH@Work's Corporate Index. In addition to learning the ins-and-outs of the #RMHCompassSurvey and our corporate index participants, we visited everyone's favorite spots on campus. Can you guess everyone's favorites?

The #MamasFirstAct was introduced in Congress this week. This piece of legislation would require Medicaid to cover doula and midwifery services in all states. "Research shows that birthing people who received care from a doula, or someone who is there to support them throughout their birthing experience, had 52.9 percent lower odds of having a cesarean delivery and were 57.5 percent less likely to develop postpartum depression or anxiety." The impact on marginalized and under-served communities, particularly women of color, is significant. Our research shows that doula and midwifery benefits offered through #employersponsoredhealthplans are lagging and reimbursement rates tend to be low. Does your company's health plan cover doula and midwifery benefits? This should be a priority for your #DEI and #benefits teams. A great way to measure the quality of your benefits is through the RMH Compass Survey. Visit www.rmhcompass.org to see how your company's benefits stack up.

With all of the headlines about women’s reproductive health (SCOTUS cases, Arizona, Alabama), you might have missed this **** important development for employers. ****** Last week, the EEOC released guidelines around application of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (#PWFA).  These guidelines apply to U.S. employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers, including * Additional, longer, or more flexible breaks to drink water, eat, rest, or use the restroom; * Changing food or drink policies to allow for a water bottle or food; * Changing equipment, devices, or workstations, such as providing a stool to sit on, or a way to do work while standing; * Changing a uniform or dress code or providing safety equipment that fits; * Changing a work schedule, such as having shorter hours, part-time work, or a later start time; * Telework or Temporary reassignment; * Temporary suspension of one or more essential functions of a job; * Leave for health care appointments; * Light duty or help with lifting or other manual labor; or * Leave to recover from childbirth or other medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. Has your company trained people managers on the #PWFA guidance or last year’s #PUMP Act requirements? The #RMH Compass Survey includes these important regulations in our People Training section. Visit EEOC to learn more about this important legislation.  And visit Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass) Compass to evaluate how your organization’s reproductive and maternal health benefits and policies stack up.

***Today we're unveiling our new and improved website!*** Our new website offers a closer look into our survey development process, framework, and scoring methodology. Plus, you can meet the team, take the RMH Compass Survey, and find business case briefs to make the case with your C-suite for strengthening your company’s RMH benefits. Visit www.rmhcompass.org to explore our resource hub and more. If there are other resources you’d like to see, let us know in the comments below. #RMHCompass #reproductivehealth #maternalhealth #employeebenefits

***Today we're unveiling our new and improved website!*** Our new website offers a closer look into our survey development process, framework, and scoring methodology. Plus, you can meet the team, take the RMH Compass Survey, and find business case briefs to make the case with your C-suite for strengthening your company’s RMH benefits. Visit www.rmhcompass.org to explore our resource hub and more. If there are other resources you’d like to see, let us know in the comments below. #RMHCompass #reproductivehealth #maternalhealth #employeebenefits

Our CEO, Flory Wilson, will be at #HRRetail next week in conversation with Viktoriya McCullough from Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics North America to discuss how to structure benefits offerings for a diverse workforce. Let us know if you'll be there!