Bill > SB2559

This bill, the Mississippi Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act of 2026, aims to address Mississippi's high infant mortality rate by establishing the Mississippi Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative within the Mississippi State Department of Health, which will coordinate statewide efforts using proven strategies. Key provisions include extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to twelve months for eligible individuals, providing grants to community health centers and rural hospitals for enhanced prenatal care, requiring healthcare providers to screen for maternal depression, expanding public education campaigns on safe sleep practices and distributing safe sleep surfaces to low-income families, and increasing funding for home visiting programs that support at-risk pregnant individuals and newborns. The Department will also be responsible for collecting and reporting data on infant deaths, including specific metrics on racial and geographic disparities, to the Legislature annually, along with recommendations for further action, and will seek federal funding and partnerships to support these initiatives.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2559.xml