Moms Matter Act
Bill: H.R.909 | Sponsor: Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa (D-DE)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Moms Matter Act
This bill establishes two grant programs to address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, with a focus on racial and ethnic minority groups.
First, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must award grants for maternal behavioral health services. Eligible grantees include
Second, the Department of Health and Human Services may award grants to grow and diversify the maternal mental and behavioral health workforce by establishing or expanding schools and training programs.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
    the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to 
  establish a program to award grants to eligible entities to address 
  maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders with 
respect to pregnant and postpartum individuals, with a focus on racial 
          and ethnic minority groups, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Moms Matter Act''.

SEC. 2. MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH EQUITY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, 
shall establish a program to award grants to eligible entities to 
address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders 
with respect to pregnant and postpartum individuals, with a focus on 
racial and ethnic minority groups.
    (b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may provide, including how such entity will use funds for 
activities described in subsection (d) that are culturally congruent.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to an eligible entity that--
            (1) is, or will partner with, a community-based 
        organization to address maternal mental health conditions and 
        substance use disorders described in subsection (a);
            (2) is operating in an area with high rates of--
                    (A) adverse maternal health outcomes; or
                    (B) significant racial or ethnic disparities in 
                maternal health outcomes; and
            (3) is operating in a health professional shortage area 
        designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 254e).
    (d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use funds for the following:
            (1) Establishing or expanding maternity care programs to 
        improve the integration of maternal health and behavioral 
        health care services into primary care settings where pregnant 
        individuals regularly receive health care services.
            (2) Establishing or expanding group prenatal care programs 
        or postpartum care programs.
            (3) Expanding existing programs that improve maternal 
        mental and behavioral health during the prenatal and postpartum 
        periods, with a focus on individuals from racial and ethnic 
        minority groups.
            (4) Providing services and support for pregnant and 
        postpartum individuals with maternal mental health conditions 
        and substance use disorders, including referrals to addiction 
        treatment centers that offer evidence-based treatment options.
            (5) Addressing stigma associated with maternal mental 
        health conditions and substance use disorders, with a focus on 
        racial and ethnic minority groups.
            (6) Raising awareness of warning signs of maternal mental 
        health conditions and substance use disorders, with a focus on 
        pregnant and postpartum individuals from racial and ethnic 
        minority groups.
            (7) Establishing or expanding programs to prevent suicide 
        or self-harm among pregnant and postpartum individuals.
            (8) Offering evidence-aligned programs at freestanding 
        birth centers that provide maternal mental and behavioral 
        health care education, treatments, and services, and other 
        services for individuals throughout the prenatal and postpartum 
        period.
            (9) Establishing or expanding programs to provide education 
        and training to maternity care providers with respect to--
                    (A) identifying potential warning signs for 
                maternal mental health conditions or substance use 
                disorders in pregnant and postpartum individuals, with 
                a focus on individuals from racial and ethnic minority 
                groups; and
                    (B) in the case where such providers identify such 
                warning signs, offering referrals to mental and 
                behavioral health care professionals.
            (10) Developing a website, or other source, that includes 
        information on health care providers who treat maternal mental 
        health conditions and substance use disorders.
            (11) Establishing or expanding programs in communities to 
        improve coordination between maternity care providers and 
        mental and behavioral health care providers who treat maternal 
        mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including 
        through the use of toll-free hotlines.
            (12) Carrying out other programs aligned with evidence-
        based practices for addressing maternal mental health 
        conditions and substance use disorders for pregnant and 
        postpartum individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups.
    (e) Reporting.--
            (1) Eligible entities.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under subsection (a) shall submit annually to the 
        Secretary, and make publicly available, a report on the 
        activities conducted using funds received through a grant under 
        this section. Such reports shall include quantitative and 
        qualitative evaluations of such activities, including the 
        experience of individuals who received health care through such 
        grant.
            (2) Secretary.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 2024, 
        the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
                    (A) a summary of the reports received under 
                paragraph (1);
                    (B) an evaluation of the effectiveness of grants 
                awarded under this section;
                    (C) recommendations with respect to expanding 
                coverage of evidence-based screenings and treatments 
                for maternal mental health conditions and substance use 
                disorders; and
                    (D) recommendations with respect to ensuring 
                activities described under subsection (d) continue 
                after the end of a grant period.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a community-based organization serving pregnant 
                and postpartum individuals, including such 
                organizations serving individuals from racial and 
                ethnic minority groups and other underserved 
                populations;
                    (B) a nonprofit or patient advocacy organization 
                with expertise in maternal mental and behavioral 
                health;
                    (C) a maternity care provider;
                    (D) a mental or behavioral health care provider who 
                treats maternal mental health conditions or substance 
                use disorders;
                    (E) a State or local governmental entity, including 
                a State or local public health department;
                    (F) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as such 
                terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
                Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
                5304)); and
                    (G) an Urban Indian organization (as such term is 
                defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
                Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)).
            (2) Culturally congruent.--The term ``culturally 
        congruent'', with respect to care or maternity care, means care 
        that is in agreement with the preferred cultural values, 
        beliefs, worldview, language, and practices of the health care 
        consumer and other stakeholders.
            (3) Freestanding birth center.--The term ``freestanding 
        birth center'' has the meaning given that term under section 
        1905(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(1)).
            (4) Maternity care provider.--The term ``maternity care 
        provider'' means a health care provider who--
                    (A) is a physician, physician assistant, midwife 
                who meets at a minimum the international definition of 
                the midwife and global standards for midwifery 
                education as established by the International 
                Confederation of Midwives, nurse practitioner, or 
                clinical nurse specialist; and
                    (B) has a focus on maternal or perinatal health.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2025.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY THE MATERNAL MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL 
              HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.

    Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
after section 757 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 294f) the following new 
section:

``SEC. 757. MATERNAL MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE 
              GRANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to entities to 
establish or expand programs described in subsection (b) to grow and 
diversify the maternal mental and behavioral health care workforce.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Recipients of grants under this section shall 
use the grants to grow and diversify the maternal mental and behavioral 
health care workforce by--
            ``(1) establishing schools or programs that provide 
        education and training to individuals seeking appropriate 
        licensing or certification as mental or behavioral health care 
        providers who will specialize in maternal mental health 
        conditions or substance use disorders; or
            ``(2) expanding the capacity of existing schools or 
        programs described in paragraph (1), for the purposes of 
        increasing the number of students enrolled in such schools or 
        programs, including by awarding scholarships for students.
    ``(c) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to any entity that--
            ``(1) has demonstrated a commitment to recruiting and 
        retaining students and faculty from racial and ethnic minority 
        groups;
            ``(2) has developed a strategy to recruit and retain a 
        diverse pool of students into the maternal mental or behavioral 
        health care workforce program or school supported by funds 
        received through the grant, particularly from racial and ethnic 
        minority groups and other underserved populations;
            ``(3) has developed a strategy to recruit and retain 
        students who plan to practice in a health professional shortage 
        area designated under section 332;
            ``(4) has developed a strategy to recruit and retain 
        students who plan to practice in an area with significant 
        racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes, to 
        the extent practicable; and
            ``(5) includes in the standard curriculum for all students 
        within the maternal mental or behavioral health care workforce 
        program or school a bias, racism, or discrimination training 
        program that includes training on implicit bias and racism.
    ``(d) Reporting.--As a condition on receipt of a grant under this 
section for a maternal mental or behavioral health care workforce 
program or school, an entity shall agree to submit to the Secretary an 
annual report on the activities conducted through the grant, 
including--
            ``(1) the number and demographics of students participating 
        in the program or school;
            ``(2) the extent to which students in the program or school 
        are entering careers in--
                    ``(A) health professional shortage areas designated 
                under section 332; and
                    ``(B) areas with significant racial and ethnic 
                disparities in maternal health outcomes, to the extent 
                such data are available; and
            ``(3) whether the program or school has included in the 
        standard curriculum for all students a bias, racism, or 
        discrimination training program that includes training on 
        implicit bias and racism, and if so the effectiveness of such 
        training program.
    ``(e) Period of Grants.--The period of a grant under this section 
shall be up to 5 years.
    ``(f) Application.--To seek a grant under this section, an entity 
shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including any information necessary for prioritization under subsection 
(c).
    ``(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide, directly 
or by contract, technical assistance to entities seeking or receiving a 
grant under this section on the development, use, evaluation, and post-
grant period sustainability of the maternal mental or behavioral health 
care workforce programs or schools proposed to be, or being, 
established or expanded through the grant.
    ``(h) Report by the Secretary.--Not later than 4 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall prepare and 
submit to the Congress, and post on the internet website of the 
Department of Health and Human Services, a report on the effectiveness 
of the grant program under this section at--
            ``(1) recruiting students from racial and ethnic minority 
        groups and other underserved populations;
            ``(2) increasing the number of mental or behavioral health 
        care providers specializing in maternal mental health 
        conditions or substance use disorders from racial and ethnic 
        minority groups and other underserved populations;
            ``(3) increasing the number of mental or behavioral health 
        care providers specializing in maternal mental health 
        conditions or substance use disorders working in health 
        professional shortage areas designated under section 332; and
            ``(4) increasing the number of mental or behavioral health 
        care providers specializing in maternal mental health 
        conditions or substance use disorders working in areas with 
        significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health 
        outcomes, to the extent such data are available.
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Racial and ethnic minority group.--The term `racial 
        and ethnic minority group' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 1707(g)(1).
            ``(2) Mental or behavioral health care provider.--The term 
        `mental or behavioral health care provider' refers to a health 
        care provider in the field of mental and behavioral health, 
        including substance use disorders, acting in accordance with 
        State law.
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.
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