Summers reacts to data on child fatalities, demands preventative action

Today (Sept. 18), the Interim Study Committee on Child Services met to discuss updates from the Indiana Department of Health and Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) on child fatalities in our state and solutions to combat the issue.

In 2022, 4,422 Hoosier children between the ages of zero and 17 died as a result of injuries, which include homicide, drowning, suicide, and transportation accidents. According to DCS, 308 deaths were investigated, and in 61 of these cases, the cause of death was confirmed to be caused by abuse or neglect. The same data shows that 67% of these children were three or younger.

“We aren't doing enough to move the needle to help Hoosier children,” State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis) said. “As legislators, we have a duty to protect the most vulnerable. Children are entirely dependent on the adults in their lives. When an adult fails as a guardian, it is the child who is left to face the consequences.

“We need to be proactive instead of reactive to protect our children. If we want to reduce the number of child deaths in our state, we must invest in combating risk factors that heighten the risk of abuse, such as low-familiar income, mental health and substance abuse. Our state has continually failed to do so, and the cost is our children's lives.”

Summers: Proposed cannabis reclassification could spark full legalization in Indiana

On April 30, the Biden administration announced a plan to reclassify cannabis for the first time since 1971 when the Controlled Substances Act was signed into law. The proposal would change the drug from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, acknowledging its potential medicinal viability and removing its label as one of the most addictive, dangerous drugs.

Please attribute the following statement to State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis):

“The Biden Administration is taking an important first step in reducing the negative stigma surrounding cannabis. Currently, cannabis is designated as a dangerous substance alongside the likes of heroin, a clearly ridiculous comparison. Cannabis is shown to have promising therapeutic benefits. Early research indicates the drug's effectiveness in mitigating symptoms caused by conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, schizophrenia, anxiety and chronic pain. A reclassification could break the barriers restricting further cannabis research that could positively impact healthcare for all Hoosiers.

“The potential of this reclassification extends even past medical applicability. By altering federal law, states like Indiana that criminalize the drug are more likely to follow suit. Though the proposed reclassification would not result in the federal legalization of recreational cannabis, it could get the ball rolling here in Indiana.  If fully legalized, cannabis could bring in an additional $171 million in annual revenue for our state.  In turn, this revenue can then be used to stimulate our economy and provide necessary funding for schools and other critical infrastructure. As it stands, Indiana is missing out while our neighbors in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio are raking in easy profits.

“But there is also the human element to consider. Hoosiers are currently being dragged off to prison over a drug that 24 other states have already legalized. And of course, the racial component of this issue cannot be ignored. While white and Black individuals use cannabis at similar rates, Black users are far more likely to face repercussions. In Indiana, Black people are 3.5x more likely to be arrested for possession when compared to their white counterparts. The data is clear: Criminalization disproportionately punishes Black Hoosiers, labeling them as dangerous criminals.

“Hoosiers want legal cannabis. A 2022 survey conducted by Ball State University found that 85% of Hoosiers are in favor of legalizing marijuana. Still, Republicans continue to fight against the will of the people. Our state is falling behind, and something must be done to get us back on track. I am hopeful that this proposed reclassification is the catalyst our legislature needs to spring into action.”

Jackson and Summers call state leaders to action during Black Maternal Health Week

It’s Black Maternal Health Week, and we want to shine a spotlight on the unique issues that Black moms in Indiana face and discuss how to improve the standard of healthcare they receive before, during and after pregnancy. Across the board, Black mothers do not receive the same level of care as their white counterparts, resulting in deadly consequences.

The last thing an expecting mother should worry about is feeling unheard by the medical team charged with their well-being. And yet, these fears ring true for far too many Black mothers. The most recent data from the CDC lays out the grim reality faced by Black women across the country: Black mothers die at a staggering rate of 2.6 times that of white mothers. 

Looking at the numbers for Indiana further showcases this racial disparity. Indiana has the 3rd highest maternal mortality rate in America, and most of those deaths are Black mothers. A recent report shows that in Indiana in 2021, Black women represented 13% of live births but 21% of maternal deaths.  

Simply put, there is a crisis in our state. This crisis is fueled by a multitude of policy failures, including Black mortality rates, implicit bias within the healthcare system and a lack of dedicated funding for solutions. It doesn’t help that Indiana has an abortion ban in place – women know when they are able to carry an unintended pregnancy healthily, and the ban makes it so that the most vulnerable will be the ones carrying unintended pregnancies to term.

Unfortunately, the Republican supermajority at the Statehouse has not previously greenlit a wealth of legislation that would go far toward saving Black moms’ lives, but the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is committed to offering and passing solutions of substance. At the same time, we are proud to celebrate the legislative wins that have passed and been signed into law.

Rep. Summers co-authored a 2022 law to end the practice of shackling pregnant inmates when they give birth. Birth should not be a traumatic experience, but until just two years ago, the system was failing women who were forced to give birth while incarcerated. She has also fought to create a grant program for community organizations fighting the maternal mortality crisis, but Republican supermajority voted down her amendments to do so during the abortion special session and haven’t yet heard her grant program legislation in committee.

Rep. Jackson has filed legislation for several years now to end the practice of doctors performing non-consensual pelvic exams on patients while they are sedated. In a positive development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently instructed teaching hospitals to obtain written consent before performing sensitive exams, but codifying this common-sense practice in state law is necessary. Our healthcare system has failed Black women time and time again by abusing the relationship of trust that should exist between doctor and patient. This would go a long way toward restoring that trust.

Unfortunately, it is well documented that pregnancy and domestic violence go hand in hand. Rep. Ragen Hatcher (D-Gary) offered a bill this session to make it easier for victims of domestic violence to file forms requesting a protection order and remove affidavit requirements from parts of the process for establishing probable cause. A holistic approach to improving mortality rates is necessary, and that strategy includes protecting moms and moms-to-be from abusers. 

Expanding access to substance use disorder recovery efforts is a critical part of solving this issue because addiction is currently the number-one cause of maternal mortality in Indiana. Rep. Renee Pack (D-Indianapolis) has worked on this issue by offering a bill to ensure that Medicaid patients are not given lifetime restrictions on receiving substance use recovery treatments. 

Defunding harmful organizations that only contribute to misinformation about pregnancy and abortion is important if we’re going to fund organizations truly working on behalf of vulnerable moms-to-be. Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment during the 2022 abortion special session to require that Real Alternatives, which receives state funding and operates so-called “pregnancy resource centers” throughout the state, must provide medically accurate information to patients. However, House Republican lawmakers voted it down. 

Finally, Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) has repeatedly filed a bill to require that healthcare professionals and community health workers undergo cultural awareness and competency training every two years. Working to break down the harmful biases that some doctors hold about Black women will ensure that every pregnant woman’s doctor cares about her unique circumstances and needs as she undergoes pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.

While we’ve made strides in improving maternal health outcomes, the fact remains that there is much more work to do. If we are able to deploy those resources and enact policies to make healthcare truly equitable, Black maternal mortality can be greatly improved, but that’s only if we can muster the necessary support behind the notion that Black mothers’ lives are worth protecting.