Press Releases

Philadelphia, PA – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today welcomed Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) to the Family Practice and Counseling Network (FPCN) Health Annex in Southwest Philadelphia for a tour and roundtable discussion of FPCN’s services for women and children, as well as maternal health issues impacting the community. Representatives Scanlon and Clark also learned more about the unique attributes of FPCN’s new Family Health & Birth Center and how it will benefit mothers in and around Southwest Philly when it opens. Rep. Scanlon recently  secured $1 million in federal funding for the Family Health & Birth Center run by Resources for Human Development’s Family Practice and Counseling Network.

“The United States has by far the worst maternal health outcomes among developed nations, and the Philadelphia region’s pregnancy-related death rate is even higher than the national average,” said Rep. Scanlon. “The situation is even more dire for Black women, who are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. Forward-thinking organizations like the Family Practice and Counseling Network are doing incredibly important work to address the maternal health crisis on the ground and improve childbirth and maternal health outcomes in our community by building and opening Philadelphia’s first birth center, which will focus on midwifery-guided maternity care. I’m proud to have secured $1 million in federal funding to support the birth center’s critical work, and will continue to work alongside Whip Clark and our colleagues in the Black Maternal Health Caucus to advance maternal health solutions.”

“Thanks to Congresswoman Scanlon, $1 million in federal funding is being put to work serving moms and kids here in Southwest Philadelphia,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “I was thrilled to see the progress being made on this community’s new Birth Center and to sit down with those working on the frontlines of our country’s fight for health equity. House Democrats have proudly led the charge in Washington to support women and families, and we remain committed to forging a healthier, more just future for all.”

“RHD and its FQHC, Family Practice and Counseling Network, thank Democratic Whip Clark and Congresswoman Scanlon for their support of the forthcoming FPCN Family Health & Birth Center in Southwest Philadelphia,” said Emily Nichols, Executive Director at FPCN. “Thanks to the funds allocated by Congress, the Family Health & Birth Center is closer to becoming a reality where expectant persons and families will receive the trauma-informed and antiracist support they need, including a sense of ownership, respect, and the highest quality of care.  Philadelphia has among the worst Black maternal mortality rates and we at FPCN hope to help change this.”

FPCN’s Family Health & Birth Center is one of 15 PA-05 Community Project Funding awards Scanlon delivered $20 million for through the Fiscal Year 2023 federal government funding package passed by Congress in December 2022. Additional information on the Community Project Funding awards in Scanlon’s district is available  here.

Photos from the roundtable discussion are available  here for media use.

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