TITLE: Relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign.

SUMMARY: Relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0215 to read as follows: Sec. 32.0215. MATERNAL HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE CAMPAIGN. (a) In this section, "maternal health care professional" means a health care professional who is certified or licensed in this state to provide maternal health care, including a doula and an individual who provides nonmedical support during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period. (b) Using available resources, the department shall develop and implement a public outreach campaign to increase the number of maternal health care professionals in this state's health care workforce to improve access to maternal health care in rural areas of this state and other areas with a shortage of maternal health care professionals. The department shall design the campaign to: (1) facilitate the implementation of trauma-informed care training programs for all maternal health care professionals; (2) prioritize continuing education for maternal health care professionals; (3) facilitate the implementation of training programs to increase the number of maternal health care professionals in rural areas of this state and other areas with a shortage of maternal health care professionals; (4) increase the overall capacity of the maternal health care workforce in this state, including by investing in maternal health care equipment and locations that provide maternal health care; (5) facilitate the implementation of training programs to increase in the maternal health care workforce the number of health care professionals who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups; and (6) facilitate the implementation of maternal health care programs to improve access to maternal health care and provide services to women of underserved racial or ethnic minority groups. (c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall develop and implement the maternal health care workforce campaign required by Section 32.0215, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.