SHINE for Autumn Act of 2021

To improve research and data collection on stillbirths, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2021 SHINE for Autumn Act of 2021 2. Stillbirth research and data collection improvements Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 317L–1 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247b–13a 317L–2. Stillbirth research and data collection improvements (a) Stillbirth surveillance and risk factor studies (1) In general The Secretary may award grants to States for purposes of— (A) conducting surveillance and collecting data with respect to stillbirths; (B) building State and local public health capacity to assess stillbirth data; and (C) collecting and reporting data on stillbirth risk factors, including any quantifiable outcomes with respect to such risk factors. (2) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. (b) Guidelines and educational awareness materials (1) In general The Secretary shall— (A) issue guidelines to State departments of health and State and local vital statistics units on— (i) collecting data on stillbirth from health care providers, and with the consent of the family involved, including any such data with respect to the clinical history, postmortem examination, and placental pathology; (ii) sharing such data with Federal agencies determined appropriate by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (iii) improving processes and training related to stillbirth data collection and reporting to ensure standardization and completeness of data; and (B) develop, and make publicly available, educational awareness materials on stillbirths. (2) Consultation In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may consult with— (A) national health care professional associations; (B) national associations representing State and local public health officials; (C) organizations that assist families with burial support and bereavement services; (D) nurses and nurse practitioners; (E) obstetricians and gynecologists; (F) pediatricians; (G) maternal-fetal medicine specialists; (H) midwives; (I) mental health professionals; (J) statisticians; (K) individuals who have experienced a stillbirth; and (L) advocacy organizations representing such individuals. (3) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. (c) Vital statistics unit defined In this section, the term vital statistics unit . 3. Perinatal pathology fellowships The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 1122 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300c–12 1123. Improving perinatal pathology (a) In general The Secretary shall establish and implement, or incorporate into an existing training program, a Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program or a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship on Factors Associated with Stillbirth Program to— (1) provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology; (2) conduct research on, and improve data collection through fetal autopsies with respect to, stillbirth; and (3) address challenges in stillbirth education, research, and data collection. (b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. . 4. Reports (a) Educational guidelines report (1) In general Not later than five years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish on a public website of the Department of Health and Human Services a report with educational guidelines on stillbirth and stillbirth risk factors. (2) Contents Such report shall include, to the extent practicable and appropriate, the guidelines issued and educational awareness materials developed under section 317L–2 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2 of this Act. (b) Progress report Not later than five years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a comprehensive report on the progress and effectiveness of the Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program established under section 1123 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 3 of this Act. December 8, 2021 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2021 or the SHINE for Autumn Act of 2021 This bill authorizes grants and establishes other programs to improve data collection on stillbirths. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths, and HHS must issue guidelines for health departments and vital statistics units concerning the collection of stillbirth data. HHS must also develop educational awareness materials about stillbirths and make them publicly available. Furthermore, HHS must implement a fellowship program to provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology and otherwise support research on stillbirths and fetal autopsies. The bill also requires HHS to issue a report with educational guidelines on stillbirths and stillbirth risk factors.