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Bill > A4941


NJ A4941

NJ A4941
Requires Commissioner of Health to establish maternity care public awareness campaign.*


summary

Introduced
01/17/2019
In Committee
03/18/2019
Crossed Over
03/25/2019
Passed
Dead
01/08/2020

Introduced Session

2018-2019 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) to establish a maternity public health campaign. Under the bill, the commissioner is to, at a minimum: (1) encourage the public to access a user-friendly website, that is created and maintained by the commissioner and which uses comparative data on maternal outcomes and information to help mothers choose maternal care providers and birthing locations; (2) disseminate aggregated data to the public regarding: rates of Cesarean births, breast feeding, and vaginal birth after cesarean delivery; (3) promote the use of shared decision-making models and decision-making aids; (4) disseminate information to healthcare professionals regarding how to document preferred care in health records; (5) disseminate information to the public on becoming engaged in maternity care, making informed choices, experiencing physiologic processes before and after birth, avoiding interventions, using high-value forms of care such as midwives, birthing centers, doulas, and lactation support, and patient rights; (6) promote the Commissioner's Community Health Workers and Central Intake Programs through the Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Initiative or a successor program; (7) provide information on the department's Internet website regarding parents' rights to family leave in New Jersey and the federal programs for pregnant women; (8) information about breastfeeding and pregnancy discrimination rights pursuant to P.L.2013, c.220; and (9) information about edibility and the application process for the Medically Needy program under the federal Medicaid program for pregnant women.

AI Summary

This bill requires the Commissioner of Health to establish a maternity care public awareness campaign to improve overall maternal and child health and ensure equitable care among women and children of all races and ethnicities. The campaign will disseminate information about maternal health, encourage the public to access a user-friendly website, and promote the use of shared decision-making models and decision-making aids. The campaign will also provide information to healthcare professionals on documenting patient preferences, to the public on avoiding unnecessary interventions and using high-value forms of care, and about parents' rights to family leave, breastfeeding and pregnancy discrimination rights, and Medicaid coverage for pregnant women.

Committee Categories

Education, Health and Social Services

Sponsors (14)

Last Action

Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading (on 05/13/2019)

bill text


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