Bill > S4186

This bill, titled the Perinatal Workforce Act, aims to expand and diversify the professionals who provide care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance to states on how to encourage hospitals, health systems, and other providers to recruit and retain maternity care providers from diverse backgrounds, including those trained on implicit bias and racism, and to incorporate various professionals like midwives, perinatal health workers, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, and lactation consultants into care teams. HHS will also conduct a study on best practices for respectful and culturally congruent maternity care and report its findings and recommendations to Congress. Furthermore, the bill authorizes grants to establish or expand programs that train physician assistants, perinatal health workers, and midwives, with a priority given to programs that recruit and retain diverse students and those planning to work in underserved areas or areas with significant maternal health disparities, and that include bias and racism training. Similar grant programs are established for nursing schools to support students pursuing careers in maternal and perinatal health, with similar prioritization for diversity and service in underserved areas. Finally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will report on barriers to maternal health education and access to care, offering recommendations to improve equity in access and compensation for perinatal health workers.