Bill > HB514

This bill establishes a new maternal health care workforce campaign in Texas designed to address shortages and improve healthcare access, particularly in rural areas. The bill defines "maternal health care professionals" broadly to include not just medical professionals, but also doulas and nonmedical support workers who assist during pregnancy and postpartum periods. The Department of State Health Services will develop and implement a public outreach campaign with four primary goals: prioritize continuing education for maternal health professionals, facilitate training programs that include trauma-informed care and focus on increasing professionals in underserved areas, expand the overall capacity of the maternal health care workforce through investment in equipment and locations, and create programs to improve healthcare access for women from underserved racial or ethnic minority groups. The campaign aims to specifically increase the number of maternal health care professionals in areas with shortages and to diversify the workforce by recruiting more professionals from minority backgrounds. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is required to adopt necessary rules to implement this initiative, with the campaign set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB514