Bill > SB520

This bill establishes the California Nurse-Midwifery Education Fund to support the creation of master's-level nurse-midwifery education programs within California State University, the University of California, or both. The bill aims to address California's maternity care access crisis and midwifery workforce shortage by creating a funding mechanism to develop new education programs. The Department of Health Care Access and Information will administer the fund, which will receive money from the General Fund, with an initial intent to appropriate $2 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year. The department must establish competitive application criteria to select optimal program sites, prioritizing areas with demonstrated midwifery workforce needs. The education programs must meet regulatory requirements for nurse-midwifery education and seek accreditation, with a focus on providing a master's degree option for students. The fund will support annual operating costs for program development and maintenance for either the first cohort's graduation or five years, whichever is shorter. The bill highlights the potential benefits of midwifery care, including improved birth outcomes, reduced medical interventions, and addressing racial disparities in maternal health, while noting that California currently has only one nurse-midwifery program accepting new students.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB520