VISION: A Maternity Advisory Council that can leverage lived experiences of maternity care to inform existing and emerging policy and that is composed primarily of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
ABOUT: On November 1, 2020, the Department enacted a Maternity Bundle rule, which requires the Department to create a Maternity Advisory
The Committee provides input on existing and future Medicaid policies, shares their stories, and points out challenges faced during pregnancy and postpartum experiences.
The Maternity Advisory Committee has between 15 and 20 members. Our goal is to develop a diverse group of people of different races/ethnicities, ages, number of pregnancies, locations (for example, people from rural Colorado), and pregnancy experiences.
The Maternity Advisory Committee meets online on the last Tuesday of each month. Members are paid to attend meetings and can live anywhere in Colorado.
To qualify for the Committee, a person should have had Medicaid coverage at some point during their pregnancy experience (including Health First Colorado, Child Health Plan Plus, or emergency Medicaid coverage). A pregnancy experience can include: live births, stillbirths or newborn losses, miscarriages (including ectopic pregnancies), and abortions or terminations.
We are launching an additional Spanish speaking Maternity Advisory Committee in January 2024.
Join the Maternity Advisory Committee
Applications for the Maternity Advisory Committee are open in September and October of each year. To apply for the English speaking Maternity Advisory Committee by October 15, 2023, click here. Applications for the Spanish speaking Maternity Advisory Committee have closed for 2023.
Contact Us
Anoushka Millear
anoushka.millear@state.co.us
Brooke Greenky
Brooke.Greenky@state.co.us
- Our Members
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Aimee: My name is Aimee. When I started on this committee I had 2 kids. One is 17 and one is 2 years old. I have had Medicaid throughout both of their lives. Recently, I found out I am pregnant with my 3rd child and I am using Medicaid still. Working with this committee has proven very beneficial because we all come from different places yet have a lot of similar experiences. The most important thing for me to address in my time with this committee is the postpartum care that is an essential part of becoming a mother. My passion is to make sure that postpartum mothers get heard and seen.
Angelica Maria Katka is a Hispanic, Native American wife and mother of three, and has lived in the Denver Metro area and foothills since 2010. With a background in Human Resources and Recruiting, she is proficient with behavioral interviewing and consultative communication. Far greater in merit, Maria delivered her first son one week before turning 18, her daughter at age 28, and her youngest son at 41. She also survived two prenatal losses, the sum of which have culminated into a multi-faceted experience of just a few of the spiritual, psychological, emotional, physical, and socio-economic perspectives that maternal health engenders. With inspiration from like-minded stakeholders drawn to the cause of equity, Maria has developed a passion for cultural sensitivity to domestic crisis and substance proximity. Access to holistic maternal healthcare, she believes, is the foundation of family wellness. One of her favorite quotes is, "I wasn't drafted, I asked for the mission," which Maria is honored to uphold in her role on this committee. She intends to support and encourage representation for Native American healthcare, and to help save the world, in general. Maria is almost always outdoors in the Denver Metro area and foothills with her husband and their young son. She also enjoys art, music, dance, true love, travel, and bicycling with her family.Holly Sisa: I, Holly Sisa, am a mother & R&B singer who's on a quest to help heal souls with her voice and get justice for those who can't speak for themselves.
Jessica Brabham: My name is Jessica Brabham. I became a mother in 2010 right after I earned my bachelor’s degree in Communications. I enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom for 8 years with my son and two daughters. I am a trained birth and postpartum doula and attended over one hundred births during my time as a doula. Following my divorce, I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a midwife. I am currently a nursing student working to become a registered nurse on my way to that goal. I have experienced two losses that ignited my passion for helping families during the often-unpredictable terrain of childbirth and postpartum.
Norma: I’m Norma, an interpreter and mother to three awesome children residing in Arvada, CO. Health and fitness are very important to me. As a minority with health disparity concerns, it’s vital that I prioritize good health practices and maintain good fitness levels to add years and good quality of life to be here for my children as long as I can. It’s a privilege to live in a country where health care could be easily accessible to everyone with the right resources, and I believe it’s vital to take care of myself to help avoid health concerns that could otherwise be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle.
Tyeesha Lynch: My name is Tyeesha Lynch. I am a mother of 2 fearless loving children. I love yoga, traveling, cooking, hiking and spending time with family. I have a strong customer service background in the medical field with a passion for community service and empowerment for all! I am currently completing my degree in psychology and plan to be a resource where ever needed!