Title: Protect Moms From Domestic Violence Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Protect Moms From Domestic Violence Act
This bill establishes a grant program and requires studies to address adverse maternal health outcomes among victims of intimate partner violence, human trafficking, forced marriage, and similar harms.
Specifically, the Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to state, tribal, or local governments, maternal care providers, institutions of higher education, and community organizations for improving maternal and child health outcomes for victims of such harms.
In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must study the relative risk of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity for victims of such harms. HHS must also contract with the National Academy of Medicine (or a similar entity) to conduct another study examining whether these harms increase the risk of suicide and substance use among pregnant and postpartum persons and other maternal health topics.
The bill also requires HHS to disseminate guidance on developing protocols and creating partnerships to address intimate partner violence and similar harms.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2588 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2588

 To study the extent to which individuals are more at risk of maternal 
mortality or severe maternal morbidity as a result of being a victim of 
           intimate partner violence, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2021

 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To study the extent to which individuals are more at risk of maternal 
mortality or severe maternal morbidity as a result of being a victim of 
           intimate partner violence, 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 ``Protect Moms From Domestic Violence 
Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY BY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the Health 
Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration, and the Administration for Children and 
Families, and in consultation with the Attorney General, the Director 
of the Indian Health Service, and stakeholders (including community-
based organizations and culturally specific organizations), shall 
conduct a study on the extent to which individuals are more at risk for 
maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity as a result of being a 
victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, 
human trafficking, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, or forced 
marriage.
    (b) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall complete the study under subsection (a) 
and submit a report to Congress on the results of such study. Such 
report shall include--
            (1) an analysis of the extent to which domestic violence, 
        dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, 
        sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, and forced marriage 
        contribute to, or result in, maternal mortality;
            (2) an analysis of the impact of domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex 
        trafficking, child sexual abuse, and forced marriage on access 
        to health care (including mental health care) and substance use 
        disorder treatment and recovery support;
            (3) a breakdown (including by race and ethnicity) of 
        categories of individuals who are disproportionately victims of 
        domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, 
        human trafficking, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, or 
        forced marriage that contributes to, or results in, pregnancy-
        related death;
            (4) an analysis of the impact on health, mental health, and 
        substance use resulting from domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex 
        trafficking, child sexual abuse, and forced marriage among 
        Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, and American Indians during 
        the prenatal and postpartum period;
            (5) an assessment of the factors that increase or decrease 
        risks for maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity among 
        victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, 
        stalking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, child sexual 
        abuse, or forced marriage;
            (6) an assessment of increased risk of maternal mortality 
        or severe maternal morbidity stemming from suicide, substance 
        use disorders, or drug overdose due to domestic violence, 
        dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, 
        sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, or forced marriage;
            (7) recommendations for legislative or policy changes--
                    (A) to reduce maternal mortality rates; and
                    (B) to address health inequities that contribute to 
                disparities in such rates and deaths;
            (8) best practices to reduce maternal mortality and severe 
        maternal morbidity among victims of domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex 
        trafficking, child sexual abuse, and forced marriage, 
        including--
                    (A) reducing reproductive coercion, mental health 
                conditions, and substance use coercion; and
                    (B) routinely assessing pregnant people for 
                domestic violence and other forms of reproductive 
                violence; and
            (9) any other information on maternal mortality or severe 
        maternal morbidity the Secretary determines appropriate to 
        include in the report.

SEC. 3. STUDY BY NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academy of Medicine (or, if the Academy 
declines to enter into such arrangement, another appropriate entity) to 
study the impact of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, 
stalking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, and 
forced marriage on an individual's health relative to maternal 
mortality and severe maternal morbidity.
    (b) Topics.--The study under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) examine--
                    (A) whether domestic violence, dating violence, 
                sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex 
                trafficking, child sexual abuse, or forced marriage, or 
                generational intimate partner violence, trauma, and 
                psychiatric disorders, increase the risk of suicide, 
                substance use, and drug overdose among pregnant and 
                postpartum persons; and
                    (B) the intersection of domestic violence, dating 
                violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, 
                sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, and forced 
                marriage as a social determinant of health; and
            (2) give particular focus to impacts among African-
        American, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native, and 
        LGBTQ populations.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE APPROACHES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the Health Resources and Services Administration, and in collaboration 
with the Administration for Children and Families, the Indian Health 
Service, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, shall award grants to eligible entities for developing 
and implementing innovative approaches to improve maternal and child 
health outcomes of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, 
sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, child 
sexual abuse, or forced marriage.
    (b) Eligible Entity.--To seek a grant under this section, an entity 
shall be--
            (1) a State, local, or federally recognized Tribal 
        government;
            (2) a nonprofit organization or community-based 
        organization that provides prevention or intervention services 
        related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, 
        stalking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, child sexual 
        abuse, or forced marriage;
            (3) a Tribal organization or urban Indian organization (as 
        such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
        Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603));
            (4) an entity, the principal purpose of which is to provide 
        health care, such as a hospital, clinic, health department, 
        freestanding birthing center, perinatal health worker, or 
        maternity care provider;
            (5) an institution of higher education; or
            (6) a comprehensive substance use disorder parenting 
        program.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applicants proposing to address--
            (1) mental health and substance use disorders among 
        pregnant persons; or
            (2) pregnant and postpartum persons experiencing intimate 
        partner violence.
    (d) Freestanding Birth Center Defined.--In this section, the term 
``freestanding birth center'' has the meaning given that term in 
section 1905(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(1)).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2024.

SEC. 5. GUIDANCE.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall issue and disseminate guidance to States, Tribes, 
Territories, maternity care providers, and managed care entities on--
            (1) providing universal education on healthy relationships 
        and intimate partner violence;
            (2) developing protocols on--
                    (A) routine assessment of intimate partner 
                violence; and
                    (B) health promotion and strategies for trauma-
                informed care plans; and
            (3) creating sustainable partnerships with community-based 
        organizations that address domestic violence, dating violence, 
        sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, 
        child sexual abuse, or forced marriage.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``maternal mortality''--
                    (A) means death that--
                            (i) occurs during, or within the 1-year 
                        period after, pregnancy; and
                            (ii) is attributed to or aggravated by 
                        pregnancy-related or childbirth complications; 
                        and
                    (B) includes a suicide, drug overdose death, 
                homicide (including a domestic violence-related 
                homicide), or other death resulting from a mental 
                health or substance use disorder attributed to or 
                aggravated by pregnancy-related or childbirth 
                complications.
            (2) The term ``maternity care provider'' means a health 
        care provider who--
                    (A) is a physician, physician assistant, nurse, 
                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.
            (3) The term ``perinatal health worker'' means a worker 
        who--
                    (A) is a doula, community health worker, peer 
                supporter, breastfeeding and lactation educator or 
                counselor, nutritionist or dietitian, childbirth 
                educator, social worker, home visitor, language 
                interpreter, or navigator; and
                    (B) provides assistance with perinatal health.
            (4) The term ``postpartum'' means the 12-month period 
        following childbirth.
            (5) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
            (6) The term ``severe maternal morbidity'' means a health 
        condition, including a mental health condition or substance use 
        disorder, that--
                    (A) is attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy or 
                childbirth; and
                    (B) results in significant short-term or long-term 
                consequences to the health of the individual who was 
                pregnant.
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