Perinatal Workforce Act

Perinatal Workforce Act

This bill establishes programs and requires research to diversify the perinatal workforce and advance respectful maternal care delivery models.

Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to education and training programs to grow and diversify the professions that make up the perinatal workforce. HHS must also disseminate guidance on respectful maternal care delivery. This guidance must cover, among other topics, recruiting and retaining maternity care providers from diverse backgrounds and incorporating trained midwives and other perinatal health workers into maternity care teams.

In addition, the National Institutes of Health must study best practices for culturally and linguistically congruent maternity care. This is care that is in agreement with the preferred cultural values, beliefs, languages, worldview, and practices of health care consumers and other stakeholders.

The Government Accountability Office must also report on certain aspects of perinatal health care professions. The report must focus on barriers to entering those professions for low-income and minority women.

Bill 118 HR 3523, also known as the Perinatal Workforce Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress that aims to address the shortage of healthcare providers specializing in perinatal care. The bill specifically focuses on improving access to care for pregnant individuals and newborns by increasing the number of trained professionals in this field.

The Perinatal Workforce Act proposes several key initiatives to achieve this goal. Firstly, it calls for the establishment of a grant program to support the training and education of healthcare providers in perinatal care. This includes funding for medical schools, nursing programs, and other institutions to develop specialized training programs for perinatal healthcare professionals.

Additionally, the bill seeks to increase the diversity of the perinatal workforce by providing scholarships and other incentives to individuals from underrepresented communities who are interested in pursuing careers in this field. This is aimed at addressing disparities in access to care and outcomes for pregnant individuals and newborns from marginalized backgrounds. Furthermore, the Perinatal Workforce Act includes provisions to improve data collection and research on perinatal health outcomes, with the goal of identifying areas where additional support and resources are needed. This information will be used to inform future policy decisions and initiatives aimed at improving perinatal care in the United States. Overall, the Perinatal Workforce Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that seeks to address the shortage of healthcare providers in perinatal care and improve access to quality care for pregnant individuals and newborns. By investing in training programs, increasing diversity in the workforce, and improving data collection, this bill has the potential to make a significant impact on the health and well-being of mothers and babies across the country.