• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Gov. Walz signs Healthy Start Act into law to support the health of incarcerated mothers and children

by MSR News Online
May 14, 2021
50
SHARES
991
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
Submitted photo Gov. Walz signing the Healthy Start Act

“The first-in-the-nation Healthy Start Act does what’s right for mothers and their children by keeping them healthy, and keeping them together,” said Governor Tim Walz. He signed the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) Healthy Start Act into law, providing new resources to support the health and wellbeing of incarcerated mothers and their newborn babies.

“This historic bill was made possible by the tireless, bipartisan work of the Department of Corrections, legislative leaders, advocates, and mothers who shared their stories and fought for the wellbeing of their kids. I am so proud to celebrate this accomplishment and sign the Healthy Start Act into law,” said Walz.

“Every child deserves a healthy start. We listened to incarcerated moms on how we could support them and their babies through pregnancy, birth, and post-partum—and their stories became the bipartisan women-led Healthy Start Act that was signed into law,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. 

“I had the opportunity to hear these stories firsthand with Representative Jaime Becker Finn in 2019. And now, I am so grateful for her leadership, and for the leadership of all the women who came together to get this done. This is what happens when you center the voices of women at the decision-making table,” said Lt. Gov. Flanagan. “Minnesota is the better for it. I am so proud of this historic policy that will improve the lives of moms and babies in our state.”

The Healthy Start Act allows the Commissioner of Corrections to place women who are pregnant or immediately postpartum into community alternatives such as halfway houses, supervise them in accordance with current statute, and provide them treatment and programming in the placement location for the duration of their pregnancy and for up to one year post-birth to allow for the child to be near their mother for the first year of their lives.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

When newborn babies are removed from their mothers so quickly after birth, babies and their mothers have minimal time to interact and bond. There are multifaceted societal and fiscal benefits for keeping the mother and newborn together, including reduced recidivism, re-entry support for individuals being released into the community, improved parenting, enhanced child wellbeing, and community involvement.

The Healthy Start Act is a bipartisan piece of legislation in both the House and the Senate. Led by Representative Jaime Becker-Finn, the Healthy Start Act is the first an all-women-sponsored House bill with co-authors from both parties. In the Senate, Senator Kiffmeyer is the chief author of the legislation, and co-authors include Senator Karin Housley, Senator Michelle Benson, Senator Sandra Pappas, and Senator Eric Pratt, who represents the district with the only women’s prison in the state.

Attachment: Photo of Governor Walz signing the Healthy Start Act.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Another dangerous fire season is looming in the Western U.S.

Next Post

The latest: from aggravating factors to federal indictments

MSR News Online

Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.

You Might Also Like

jail
Opinion

Work release is underutilized in MN prisons

Advocates successfully push for recognition of Harriet Tubman’s legacy
Local

Advocates successfully push for recognition of Harriet Tubman’s legacy

Restorative justice should be applied to all crime
Opinion

Restorative justice should be applied to all crime

Gov. Walz calls for moment of silence for George Floyd on the one-year anniversary of his death
Local

Gov. Walz calls for moment of silence for George Floyd on the one-year anniversary of his death

WATCH: Biden, Harris honor lives lost to COVID-19 (updated)
Local

WATCH: Biden, Harris honor lives lost to COVID-19 (updated)

COVID in prison
Featured

COVID-19 running wild in Minnesota prisons

Next Post
legal insights

The latest: from aggravating factors to federal indictments

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Oct 3
October 3 @ 8:30 am-October 4 @ 5:30 pm

Insects: Little Body, Big Impact | Nobel Conference 59 | Virtual or In-Person

Oct 4
6:00 pm-8:00 pm

An Evening with Liz Cheney

Oct 5
7:00 pm-9:00 pm

The Bombing of Cubana Flight 455: Why it Matters

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

PHOTO: Barbie back-to-school party

A Barbie back to school party.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: