Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act

Bill: 117-s-1675
Sponsor: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
Introduced: 2021-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Disability and health-based discrimination
Education programs funding
Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care quality
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Higher education
Immunology and vaccination
Medical education
Minority health
Nursing
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-05-18
text: 

Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish specified grant programs to support positive maternal health care outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.
 
Specifically, HHS must award grants to (1) develop best practices to reduce preventable maternal mortality, and (2) train health care professionals to reduce and prevent discrimination when providing maternal health services. In addition, HHS may award grants to establish evidence-informed, integrated health care services to pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.
 
The bill also provides statutory authority for a grant program that supports perinatal quality collaboratives. These are networks of perinatal care providers and public health professionals that work to improve pregnancy outcomes through continuous quality improvement.
 
HHS also must contract with an independent research organization to study and make recommendations on trainings for health professional schools and education programs on reducing and preventing discrimination in the provision of maternal health services.

action_date: 2021-06-08
text: 

Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish specified grant programs to support positive maternal health care outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.
 
Specifically, HHS must award grants to (1) develop best practices to reduce preventable maternal mortality, and (2) train health care professionals to reduce and prevent discrimination when providing maternal health services. In addition, HHS may award grants to establish evidence-informed, integrated health care services to pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.
 
The bill also provides statutory authority for a grant program that supports perinatal quality collaboratives. These are networks of perinatal care providers and public health professionals that work to improve pregnancy outcomes through continuous quality improvement.
 
HHS also must (1) contract with an independent research organization to study and make recommendations on trainings for health professional schools and education programs on reducing and preventing discrimination in the provision of maternal health services, and (2) address pregnant and postpartum women and their infants in public awareness initiatives related to vaccinations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 71.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Murray with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Murray with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-05-25
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate