{"id":844,"date":"2026-01-16T20:37:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:37:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/nurture-nj\/?p=844"},"modified":"2026-01-16T20:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:55:52","slug":"rutgers-helps-track-new-jerseys-legislative-progress-in-advancing-maternal-and-infant-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/nurture-nj\/rutgers-helps-track-new-jerseys-legislative-progress-in-advancing-maternal-and-infant-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Rutgers Helps Track New Jersey\u2019s Legislative Progress in Advancing Maternal and Infant Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Original Story in Rutgers Today<\/a><\/p>\n

Rutgers School of Public Health and the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute examine the progress in implementing New Jersey’s ambitious maternal health policies<\/h3>\n

A report analyzing the implementation status of the laws enacted between 2018 and 2025 by the Rutgers School of Public Health and the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute demonstrates that New Jersey has made significant progress in implementing maternal and infant health policies.<\/p>\n

The 72 policies and two assembly resolutions that\u00a0the report<\/a>, \u201cTurning Policy into Progress: How New Jersey Is Advancing Maternal and Infant Health,<\/em>\u201d focuses on span six key focus areas:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Maternal and Child Health Care Delivery and Access (20 actions)<\/li>\n
  2. Parental and Child Supports (18 actions)<\/li>\n
  3. Family Planning and Fertility Services (11 actions)<\/li>\n
  4. Education, Programs, and Resources (10 actions)<\/li>\n
  5. Legal Agreements and Safeguards (eight actions)<\/li>\n
  6. Data, Surveillance, and Quality Improvement (seven actions)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To assess how the policies are being put into practice, the Rutgers and New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute team systematically reviewed all 72 enacted laws and two assembly resolutions.<\/p>\n

    For each policy, researchers examined relevant\u00a0scientific literature<\/a>\u00a0and investigated the current implementation status for every mandated action. Through legislative review, a public records analysis, stakeholder engagement, verification of findings and a public source review, team members identified actions taken toward implementation.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    \u201cNew Jersey has done an excellent job in legislating and implementing initiatives that, over time, will make a real and meaningful difference in maternal health,\u201d said Leslie M. Kantor, chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health. \u201cThe key now is to ensure continued funding and support for policies that close health gaps and continue to respond to current and emerging health needs related to pregnancy, labor and delivery and post-partum.\u201d<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The researchers’ review found that New Jersey has fully operationalized nearly 80% of the\u00a0Nurture NJ<\/a>\u00a0policies\u00a0across state agencies, clinical and community settings, insurance programs, and legal and entitlement systems \u2013 efforts that represent meaningful progress and are expected to yield long-term benefits.\u00a0Twelve laws have been partially implemented, and three laws have yet to be put into effect.<\/p>\n

    Fully implemented laws include:<\/p>\n