POLICY DOCUMENT
37: WOMEN’S RIGHTS & GENDER EQUITY

Dave Biggers for
Louisville Mayor 2025

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Louisville’s women face systemic barriers that limit their health,
economic security, and safety. Black mothers die at nearly 2.5 times the
rate of white mothers—and 91% of these deaths are preventable. Childcare
costs consume 38% of low-income family income, forcing parents out of
the workforce. Domestic violence remains a leading cause of injury to
women, yet Louisville lacks a coordinated one-stop response. Women-owned
businesses receive a fraction of city contracts.

Dave Biggers believes gender equity is essential to
Louisville’s prosperity. When women thrive, families thrive,
and communities thrive. This isn’t about special treatment—it’s about
removing barriers that hold back half our population and ensuring every
Louisville resident has opportunity regardless of gender.

The Challenge

Louisville’s gender inequities show up in stark numbers:

1. Maternal Mortality Crisis: Black women in
   Louisville die at 42.1 per 100,000 live births vs. 17.2 for white
   women—2.5x disparity. 91% of maternal deaths are preventable.

2. Childcare Crisis: Average childcare costs
   $13,200/year. Low-income families spend 38% of income on childcare.
   100,000+ Americans miss work monthly due to childcare problems.

3. Economic Inequity: Women earn 82 cents per
   dollar men earn. Women-owned businesses receive less than 5% of city
   contracts. Single mothers are most likely to live in poverty.

4. Domestic Violence: Louisville filed 17,000+
   domestic violence protective orders in recent years. Victims must
   navigate fragmented services across multiple locations. No coordinated
   one-stop response exists.

5. Healthcare Access: Reproductive healthcare
   increasingly restricted at state level. Women’s health services
   underfunded. Mental health services inadequate for postpartum depression
   and trauma.

Dave’s Vision

Dave will implement comprehensive gender equity initiatives:

Maternal Health Initiative ($3M annually): Address
the Black maternal mortality crisis through community-based doula
support, midwifery expansion, and coordinated care.

Childcare Expansion ($5M annually): Expand
affordable childcare access, support childcare worker wages, and
integrate childcare with year-round education programming.

Family Justice Center ($2M annually): One-stop
domestic violence response center with coordinated services under one
roof.

Women’s Economic Empowerment ($2M annually):
Women-owned business support, contract equity, and workforce development
for women.

Women’s Health Services ($1M annually): Reproductive
healthcare access, mental health services, and preventive care
expansion.

Budget Impact

This policy requires $13 million in new annual
spending—funded through federal maternal health grants,
violence prevention funding, childcare subsidies, and strategic
reallocation from emergency response to prevention.

CURRENT
SITUATION: GENDER INEQUITY IN LOUISVILLE

By the Numbers

Maternal Health: – Maternal mortality rate
(Black women): 42.1 per 100,000 live births – Maternal
mortality rate (white women): 17.2 per 100,000 live births –
Disparity: Black women 2.5x more likely to die from
pregnancy-related complications (Louisville
Metro Council) – Preventable deaths: 91% of
maternal mortality cases were deemed preventable – Kentucky
ranking: One of four worst states for maternal mortality

Childcare: – Average annual childcare cost
(Louisville): $13,200 (infant center-based) – Childcare
as % of low-income family income: 38% – Annual cost
vs. college tuition: Childcare exceeds in-state public
university tuition – Americans missing work monthly due to
childcare: 100,000+ (KPMG)
– National cost increase (1991-2024): Childcare costs
rose at nearly 2x the pace of overall inflation

Economic Indicators: – Gender wage
gap: Women earn 82 cents per dollar men earn – Single
mother poverty rate: 3x married couple rate –
Women-owned businesses: 40% of small businesses;
receive <5% of government contracts – Childcare worker
average wage: $11/hour ($22,880/year) – Childcare
worker turnover: 40% annually

Domestic Violence: – Domestic violence
incidents (Louisville): 10,000+ annually – Protective
orders filed: 17,000+ in recent years – Victims
experiencing homelessness: 25% of homeless families fleeing
domestic violence – Coordinated response: No one-stop
family justice center exists

Healthcare: – Women without health
insurance: Higher rate than men – Postpartum depression
screening: Inconsistent across providers – Reproductive
healthcare access: Increasingly restricted at state level

Major Problems

Problem 1: Black
Maternal Mortality Crisis

Black women in Louisville are 2.5 times more likely to die from
pregnancy-related complications than white women. This isn’t
genetics—it’s systemic failure.

Root Causes: – Implicit bias in
healthcare: Studies show Black women’s pain is taken less
seriously – Discrimination: A 2020 report found
discrimination contributed to 30% of pregnancy-related deaths –
Lack of diverse providers: Black women often can’t find
providers who look like them and understand their experiences –
Late prenatal care: Black women less likely to receive
early prenatal care – Postpartum care gaps: High-risk
period after birth often has gaps in care – Social
determinants: Housing instability, food insecurity, stress from
discrimination all affect maternal health

What’s Working: Black Birth Justice
has supported over 300 new and expectant mothers in Louisville through
community-based doula care, prenatal/postpartum support, and health
education. They received $5.5 million federal grant to expand.

What Louisville Lacks: – Coordinated citywide
maternal health strategy – Sufficient doula/midwife capacity to serve
all Black mothers who want these services – Hospital accountability for
disparate outcomes – Postpartum support systems

Problem
2: Childcare Crisis Devastating Working Families

The childcare crisis is an economic crisis. Parents—especially
mothers—are forced out of the workforce when they can’t find or afford
childcare.

The Math Doesn’t Work: – Average childcare cost:
$1,100/month – Low-income family income: $35,000/year – Childcare = 38%
of gross income – After taxes, housing, utilities: Nothing left

Consequences: – Parents forced to leave workforce
(usually mothers) – Lost earnings, lost career advancement – Employers
can’t fill positions (worker shortage) – Children without quality early
education start school behind

Childcare Worker Crisis: – Average pay: $11/hour
($22,880/year) – 35% of childcare workers on public assistance – 40%
annual turnover—impossible to maintain quality – Centers can’t hire
enough workers

Louisville’s Response is Inadequate: – Metro invests
$5M annually in early childhood (1,500 pre-K slots) – 6,000+ eligible
children; only 25% served – No childcare worker wage supplements – Far
below peer cities (Nashville: $18M)

Problem 3:
Fragmented Domestic Violence Response

Louisville’s domestic violence victims must navigate a maze of
services across multiple locations—courts, police, shelters, counseling,
legal aid—all while in crisis.

Current System Failures: – Victim must tell story
repeatedly to different agencies – Hours/days spent traveling between
locations – Information doesn’t flow between agencies – Victims fall
through cracks – Many give up and return to dangerous situations

What Other Cities Have: The Family
Justice Center model, developed in San Diego and recognized as DOJ
best practice, puts all services under one roof: – Victim advocates –
Law enforcement – Prosecutors – Civil legal services (restraining
orders) – Counselors – Medical services – Children’s services – Housing
assistance – Immigration assistance

San Diego FJC serves 1,000+ clients monthly with
200+ professionals on site. Louisville has nothing comparable.

Problem 4: Women’s Economic
Exclusion

Women face systematic barriers to economic advancement:

Wage Gap: – Women earn 82 cents per dollar men earn
(all industries) – Black women: 63 cents per dollar white men earn –
Latina women: 55 cents per dollar white men earn – Gap widens with age
and persists at every education level

Business Ownership: – Women own 40% of small
businesses – Women receive less than 5% of government contracts – Access
to capital: Women-owned businesses receive fraction of bank loans –
Childcare burden falls disproportionately on women business owners

Workforce Development: – Women underrepresented in
high-paying trades (construction, tech) – Training programs don’t
address childcare barriers – Career advancement blocked by caregiving
responsibilities

Problem 5: Healthcare
Access Erosion

Women’s healthcare access is increasingly under threat:

Reproductive Healthcare: – Kentucky increasingly
restricts reproductive healthcare – Providers leaving state – Women must
travel for care – Low-income women most affected

Maternal Mental Health: – Postpartum depression
affects 1 in 7 mothers – Screening inconsistent – Treatment access
inadequate – Black mothers less likely to be diagnosed and treated

Preventive Care: – Cancer screenings (breast,
cervical) not reaching all women – Heart disease (leading killer of
women) underdiagnosed – Women’s symptoms often dismissed by
providers

DAVE’S VISION: GENDER
EQUITY FOR LOUISVILLE

Dave Biggers believes women’s advancement benefits
everyone. When mothers are healthy, children thrive. When women
can work, families prosper. When women are safe, communities are
stronger.

Core Principles

1. Health as Foundation: Women’s physical and
   mental health enables everything else—work, family, community
   participation

2. Economic Empowerment: Women’s economic security
   strengthens families and communities

3. Safety and Dignity: Every woman deserves safety
   in her home and community

4. Systemic Solutions: Individual programs aren’t
   enough—Louisville needs systemic change addressing root causes

5. Centering Those Most Affected: Solutions
   designed with and led by women most impacted by inequity

Goals (4-Year Term)

By 2029, Dave will achieve:

• 50% reduction in Black maternal mortality through
  comprehensive maternal health initiative
• 3,000 additional childcare slots affordable to
  low-income families
• Louisville Family Justice Center serving 5,000+
  domestic violence victims annually
• 20% women-owned business contract participation (up
  from <5%)
• Childcare worker wage floor of $15/hour with
  benefits
• Postpartum depression screening for all births at
  Louisville hospitals
• $1,000 per child childcare tax credit advocacy at
  state level

DETAILED PROPOSALS

Proposal 1:
Black Maternal Health Initiative ($3M Annually)

What It Is

Comprehensive initiative to eliminate the Black maternal mortality
disparity through community-based care, hospital accountability, and
systemic change.

Community Doula Program ($1.5M):

What doulas provide: – Continuous support during
pregnancy, birth, and postpartum – Emotional, physical, and
informational support – Advocacy for patient wishes in medical settings
– Cultural connection and understanding

Evidence: – Doula support reduces cesarean births by
60% – Reduces use of pain medication by 30% – Improves maternal
satisfaction – Particularly effective for Black mothers facing implicit
bias

Louisville Program: – Train and certify 100
community doulas (prioritize Black women from affected communities) –
Provide free doula services to 1,000+ Black mothers annually – Partner
with Black Birth Justice and other community organizations – Doulas paid
living wage ($20/hour minimum)

Midwifery Expansion ($750K):

What midwives provide: – Full prenatal care for
low-risk pregnancies – Birth attendance (home, birth center, hospital) –
Postpartum care – More time per visit than typical OB appointment –
Continuity of care (same provider throughout)

Louisville Program: – Scholarships for Black women
to enter midwifery programs – Support for midwifery practices in
underserved areas – Hospital credentialing assistance – Target: 20 new
midwives serving Louisville within 4 years

Hospital Accountability ($500K):

Require Louisville hospitals to: – Report maternal
mortality and morbidity data by race publicly – Implement implicit bias
training for all L&D staff – Conduct root cause analysis for every
maternal death/near-miss – Implement California Maternal Quality Care
Collaborative protocols (proven to reduce mortality) – Meet disparity
reduction targets or face consequences for Metro partnerships

Postpartum Support Program ($250K):

• Home visits for all high-risk mothers in first 6 weeks
  postpartum
• Postpartum depression screening and treatment referrals
• Lactation support
• Connection to social services (housing, food, WIC)

Why It Matters

Black Birth Justice has proven this works—supporting 300+ mothers
with demonstrated outcomes. Louisville needs to scale what works.

Evidence: – Community doula programs reduce preterm
birth by 40% – Midwifery care has lower cesarean rates and better
outcomes – California’s hospital quality improvement reduced maternal
mortality 50% statewide

Cost-Benefit: – Each maternal death costs healthcare
system $1M+ in lost productivity, medical costs, family impact –
Preventing 10 deaths annually = $10M+ saved – Healthier mothers =
healthier children = healthier Louisville

Budget

Annual Cost: $3 million

• Community doula program: $1,500,000
• Midwifery expansion: $750,000
• Hospital accountability: $500,000
• Postpartum support: $250,000

Funding Sources: – Federal maternal health grants:
$1.5M (HRSA, AIM) – Metro general fund: $1M – Hospital/health system
partnerships: $500K

Proposal 2:
Childcare Expansion & Support ($5M Annually)

What It Is

Comprehensive strategy making childcare affordable for working
families while supporting childcare workers with living wages.

Childcare Subsidy Program ($2.5M):

Eligibility: – Families earning up to 250% federal
poverty level – Working or in school/training – Children birth to 5
years

Benefit: – Sliding scale subsidies capping family
contribution at 7% of income – Direct payment to licensed childcare
providers – Target: 1,500 children receiving subsidies annually

Childcare Worker Wage Supplement ($1.5M):

Problem: – Average childcare worker earns $11/hour –
35% on public assistance – 40% annual turnover – Can’t maintain quality
with constant turnover

Solution: – Wage supplements bringing workers to
$15/hour minimum – Health insurance premium assistance – Professional
development opportunities – Target: 500 childcare workers receiving
supplements

Childcare Facility Grants ($500K):

• Capital grants for childcare facilities in underserved areas
  (childcare deserts)
• Renovation and safety improvements
• Playground and outdoor space development
• Target: 10 facilities receiving grants annually

Year-Round Education Integration ($500K):

As detailed in Education policy, year-round schooling (4 months on, 2
weeks off) dramatically reduces childcare burden: – Eliminates 10-12
week summer childcare gap – 2-week intersessions more manageable for
families – Intersession programming replaces expensive summer camps

This funding supports intersession care integration with education
programming.

Why It Matters

The childcare crisis is a workforce crisis: –
100,000+ Americans miss work monthly due to childcare – Louisville loses
economic productivity when parents can’t work – Women disproportionately
leave workforce for caregiving – Employers can’t fill positions

Evidence from other states: – Montana:
Extended eligibility, capped copays at 9% of income – Wisconsin:
$170M stabilization grants staved off worst of crisis – New
York: $7 billion four-year investment expanding access

Budget

Annual Cost: $5 million

• Childcare subsidies: $2,500,000
• Worker wage supplements: $1,500,000
• Facility grants: $500,000
• Year-round education integration: $500,000

Funding Sources: – Federal childcare grants (CCDF):
$2M – Metro general fund: $2M – Employer partnerships: $1M

Proposal 3:
Louisville Family Justice Center ($2M Annually)

What It Is

Louisville will establish a Family
Justice Center—a one-stop center where domestic violence victims can
access all services under one roof.

Services Co-Located:

Law Enforcement: – LMPD domestic violence unit –
Victim interviews in safe environment – Evidence collection – Safety
planning

Legal Services: – Emergency protective order
assistance – Civil legal aid (divorce, custody, immigration) –
Prosecutors for criminal cases – Victim advocacy during proceedings

Social Services: – Case management – Housing
assistance and shelter referrals – Financial assistance – Employment
support – Childcare coordination

Health & Counseling: – Medical examination and
documentation – Mental health counseling (individual, group) – Substance
abuse services – Children’s trauma services

Support Services: – Victim advocates – Interpreters
(Spanish, other languages) – Transportation assistance – Emergency
supplies

Center Operations: – Single location (consider
underutilized Metro property) – Welcoming, non-institutional environment
– Confidential and secure – Hours accessible to working victims
(evenings, weekends) – Child-friendly spaces

Why It Matters

The San Diego model proves this works: – 1,000+
clients served monthly – 200+ professionals on site – Designated DOJ
best practice – Replicated in 100+ cities nationwide

Benefits: – Victims don’t have to tell story
repeatedly – All services coordinated, not fragmented – Higher rates of
protective order completion – Better prosecution outcomes – Reduced
recidivism – Lower rates of returning to abuser

Louisville’s Need: – 10,000+ domestic violence
incidents annually – 25% of homeless families fleeing domestic violence
– No coordinated response exists – Victims navigate maze of disconnected
services

Budget

Annual Cost: $2 million

• Facility (lease, operations): $600K
• Staffing (coordinator, advocates, admin): $800K
• Partner agency coordination: $400K
• Services not covered by partners: $200K

Funding Sources: – Federal VAWA grants: $1M – Metro
general fund: $700K – Foundation grants: $300K

Implementation

Year 1 (2026): – Identify facility location –
Establish partnership MOUs with agencies – Hire core staff – Begin
operations (limited hours)

Year 2 (2027): – Expand hours (evenings, weekends) –
Add partner agencies – Full service array operational

Year 3-4 (2028-2029): – Serve 5,000+ victims
annually – Evaluate outcomes – Consider satellite locations in
underserved areas

Proposal 4:
Women’s Economic Empowerment ($2M Annually)

What It Is

Comprehensive strategy advancing women’s economic security through
business support, contract equity, and workforce development.

Women’s Business Development ($1M):

Business Development Center: – Technical assistance
for women starting or expanding businesses – Business plan development –
Financial literacy and access to capital – Marketing and operations
support – Mentorship matching with successful women business owners

Access to Capital: – Loan guarantee fund for
women-owned businesses – Partner with CDFIs and banks for favorable
lending – Microloan program ($5,000-25,000) – Grant fund for women
entrepreneurs in underserved communities

Target: 200 women-owned businesses supported
annually; 50 new businesses launched

Contract Equity Initiative ($500K):

Current Problem: – Women own 40% of small businesses
– Women receive <5% of Metro contracts – Contracting process favors
established (often male-owned) firms – Women-owned businesses don’t know
opportunities exist

Solutions: – 20% women-owned business
participation goal for Metro contracts – Unbundle large
contracts into smaller pieces accessible to smaller firms – Require
prime contractors to subcontract to women-owned businesses – Provide
contracting readiness training – Maintain registry of certified
women-owned businesses – Regular reporting on participation rates

Workforce Development ($500K):

Women in Trades: – Scholarships for women entering
construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC trades – Pre-apprenticeship
programs with childcare support – Partnerships with unions and
contractors – Target: 100 women entering trades annually

Career Advancement: – Leadership development
programs – Negotiation and advancement skills – Networking and
mentorship – Support for women returning to workforce after
caregiving

Budget

Annual Cost: $2 million

• Business development center: $1,000,000
• Contract equity initiative: $500,000
• Workforce development: $500,000

Funding Sources: – SBA grants: $500K – Metro
economic development: $1M – Foundation partnerships: $500K

Proposal 5:
Women’s Health Services ($1M Annually)

What It Is

Expand access to comprehensive women’s healthcare including
reproductive health, mental health, and preventive care.

Reproductive Healthcare Access ($400K):

Challenge: State-level restrictions increasingly
limit reproductive healthcare access.

Louisville Actions: – Support reproductive
healthcare providers operating legally in Louisville – Ensure Metro
health department provides full range of family planning services –
Advocate at state level against further restrictions – Information and
referral services for women seeking care

Mental Health Services ($400K):

Postpartum Mental Health: – Universal postpartum
depression screening at all Louisville births – Treatment referral
network – Support groups and peer support – Partnership with OB/GYN
practices and hospitals

Trauma-Informed Care: – Training for Metro service
providers in trauma-informed approaches – Counseling services for
domestic violence survivors – Mental health support for women in justice
system

Preventive Care Expansion ($200K):

• Mobile health clinics serving underserved areas
• Breast and cervical cancer screening outreach
• Heart health education and screening (leading cause of death)
• HPV vaccination promotion

Budget

Annual Cost: $1 million

• Reproductive healthcare support: $400,000
• Mental health services: $400,000
• Preventive care expansion: $200,000

Funding Sources: – HRSA grants: $400K – Metro health
department reallocation: $400K – Foundation grants: $200K

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

Year 1 (2026): Launch
Priority Initiatives

• Begin community doula program (200 mothers served)
• Launch childcare subsidy expansion (500 children)
• Identify Family Justice Center location
• Establish women’s business development center
• Implement hospital accountability reporting

Year 2 (2027): Scale Up

• Expand doula program (500 mothers)
• Childcare subsidies reach 1,000 children
• Family Justice Center opens (limited hours)
• Contract equity goal implemented
• Midwifery expansion begins

Year 3 (2028): Full Operations

• Doula program at scale (1,000 mothers)
• Childcare subsidies at 1,500 children
• Family Justice Center full operations
• Women in trades program launched
• Maternal mortality data shows improvement

Year 4 (2029): Measure Impact

• Black maternal mortality reduced 50% from baseline
• 3,000+ children receiving childcare support
• Family Justice Center serving 5,000+ annually
• 20% women-owned business contract participation
• Model programs for other cities

BUDGET SUMMARY

Funding Sources: – Federal grants (HRSA, VAWA, CCDF,
SBA): $5.4M – Metro general fund: $5.1M – Foundation and corporate
partnerships: $1.5M – Healthcare system partnerships: $1M

WHY THIS MATTERS

For mothers and families: When Black mothers survive
childbirth, children grow up with their mothers. When childcare is
affordable, families can work and thrive.

For domestic violence survivors: When victims can
access all services in one place, they can safely escape abuse and
rebuild their lives.

For women entrepreneurs: When women have access to
capital and contracts, they build businesses that create jobs and wealth
in our community.

For Louisville’s economy: When women can fully
participate in the workforce, Louisville gains billions in economic
productivity.

For justice: Gender equity isn’t charity—it’s
removing barriers that have held back half our population for too
long.

Dave Biggers will build a Louisville where every woman can be
healthy, safe, and economically secure.

SOURCES

• Louisville
  Maternal Mortality Data
• Black Birth
  Justice
• KPMG
  Childcare Crisis Report
• EdSource
  State Childcare Solutions
• NYC
  Family Justice Centers
• San
  Diego Family Justice Center
• KFF
  Racial Disparities in Maternal Health