Bill > HR9817

This bill, titled the "Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act," aims to improve the health and well-being of pregnant and postpartum individuals in correctional facilities by prohibiting the shackling of pregnant individuals and establishing programs to support their maternal health. Specifically, it proposes to reduce federal grant funding by 25% for states that do not have laws restricting the use of restraints on pregnant individuals that are substantially similar to federal standards, and it mandates the creation of model programs within at least six Bureau of Prisons facilities to optimize maternal health outcomes, offering services like access to perinatal health workers, healthy food, nutrition counseling, trauma-informed medical care, mental health support, childbirth education, and opportunities for mothers to bond with their newborns. Additionally, the bill authorizes grants to states to establish or expand similar programs in state and local prisons and jails, and requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on adverse maternal and infant health outcomes among incarcerated individuals, focusing on racial and ethnic disparities and barriers to data collection. The bill also defines key terms such as "maternal mortality," "severe maternal morbidity," and "perinatal health worker" to ensure clarity in its implementation.