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<dc:title>117 HR 4387 IH: Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2021</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2021-07-09</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">117th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 4387</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20210709">July 9, 2021</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="K000385">Ms. Kelly of Illinois</sponsor> (for herself, <cosponsor name-id="B001275">Mr. Bucshon</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="A000370">Ms. Adams</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="B001248">Mr. Burgess</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="H001081">Mrs. Hayes</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="L000566">Mr. Latta</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HIF00">Committee on Energy and Commerce</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve maternal health, to improve obstetric care in rural areas, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H41A0211791B74E30828DA64F3DEDF52B" style="OLC"><section id="H7181785521C24FFD8209E7DEBE43CD11" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title </header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2021</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HCD4ABDB9F97642208038A3EBF162843A"><enum>2.</enum><header>Table of Contents</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The table of contents for this Act is as follows:</text><toc container-level="legis-body-container" quoted-block="no-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded"><toc-entry idref="H7181785521C24FFD8209E7DEBE43CD11" level="section">Sec. 1. Short title .</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HCD4ABDB9F97642208038A3EBF162843A" level="section">Sec. 2. Table of Contents.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H0DC00FD2CC784704B6795E2785C0C1E7" level="title">Title I—Improvements to Maternal Health Care</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H751C4CA7BF7E4B52AF9299AECAF39742" level="section">Sec. 101. Innovation for maternal health.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H8FDC355A37724DE7AFD952C024AACAE6" level="section">Sec. 102. Training for health care providers.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HBBF22F0598754765A6CFAF5249BDF102" level="section">Sec. 103. Study on improving training for health care providers.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HC9D66C3C6D9644BEB19C3C31C459BEA5" level="section">Sec. 104. Perinatal quality collaboratives.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H6341F34C9B334BB5BF055134AA0BAEEB" level="section">Sec. 105. Integrated services for pregnant and postpartum women.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HB14F1B66D53E40949585137A454B0D96" level="section">Sec. 106. Maternal vaccination awareness.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HAE000EB833CF493CA2396652E1335CD4" level="title">Title II—Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H4509E40ECB924FFE9B5DD881758C7EA9" level="section">Sec. 201. Improving rural maternal and obstetric care data.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HDBE9596AEB1D446D9B707F4A7773737D" level="section">Sec. 202. Rural obstetric network grants.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H8BC31BBD83EC42C2A52EC2854A944B56" level="section">Sec. 203. Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H04DA4E65F6924665B86728508D2010F9" level="section">Sec. 204. Rural maternal and obstetric care training demonstration.</toc-entry></toc></section><title id="H0DC00FD2CC784704B6795E2785C0C1E7"><enum>I</enum><header>Improvements to Maternal Health Care</header><section id="H751C4CA7BF7E4B52AF9299AECAF39742"><enum>101.</enum><header>Innovation for maternal health</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title III of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/241">42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after section 330N of such Act, the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA394547E5AF0474EA9072C6FD4C93D86"><section id="HE5A63DE93E184986BB887EFF86C9C3C0"><enum>330O.</enum><header>Innovation for maternal health</header><subsection id="H081D3E3D42D44C4392C65969A33BC862"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary, in consultation with experts representing a variety of clinical specialties, State, Tribal, or local public health officials, researchers, epidemiologists, statisticians, and community organizations, shall establish or continue a program to award competitive grants to eligible entities for the purpose of—</text><paragraph id="H8D737C19F98A4982AC4780B4B97A3EB1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>identifying, developing, or disseminating best practices to improve maternal health care quality and outcomes, improve maternal and infant health, and eliminate preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, which may include—</text><subparagraph id="HC975C1DFF4134410BC8354AFF397A0BC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>information on evidence-based practices to improve the quality and safety of maternal health care in hospitals and other health care settings of a State or health care system by addressing topics commonly associated with health complications or risks related to prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCB14D785D55D40FF877E3BE48666CA97"><enum>(B)</enum><text>best practices for improving maternal health care based on data findings and reviews conducted by a State maternal mortality review committee that address topics of relevance to common complications or health risks related to prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H62A9D048A0574E168E5C510E67D7E5E7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>information on addressing determinants of health that impact maternal health outcomes for women before, during, and after pregnancy;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H886D2E7B1FF54226968EC456B4771734"><enum>(2)</enum><text>collaborating with State maternal mortality review committees to identify issues for the development and implementation of evidence-based practices to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, consistent with section 317K;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H823BB17B84C94D439AFBFCFA636361F3"><enum>(3)</enum><text>providing technical assistance and supporting the implementation of best practices identified in paragraph (1) to entities providing health care services to pregnant and postpartum women; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HFB9640FC0B4F445F9EA4B1E0F1AF4BE3"><enum>(4)</enum><text>identifying, developing, and evaluating new models of care that improve maternal and infant health outcomes, which may include the integration of community-based services and clinical care.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC71E9F0C992A4D57A02907DBDD6E3F2C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligible entities</header><text>To be eligible for a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall—</text><paragraph id="H45B892B89D234F10A10412CAE27CA85C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H71E9B52F2E424932AC2E8535A77E00FF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>demonstrate in such application that the entity is capable of carrying out data-driven maternal safety and quality improvement initiatives in the areas of obstetrics and gynecology or maternal health.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7EBEEAC7A9FC4639ABD656EAE4FE08F5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than September 30, 2024, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the practices described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a). Such report shall include a description of the extent to which such practices reduced preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and whether such practices improved maternal and infant health. The Secretary shall disseminate information on such practices, as appropriate.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7145CBC309704B49B1431114D8DE7B16"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="H8FDC355A37724DE7AFD952C024AACAE6"><enum>102.</enum><header>Training for health care providers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by striking section 763 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/294p">42 U.S.C. 294p</external-xref>) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9280047084FE4E329E3DC22AACB12D55"><section id="HD33F24FC7288414AAF2AA4FC83BBF217"><enum>763.</enum><header>Training for health care providers</header><subsection id="HC55C5FFFDEA74AF8A15ADC26A248C111"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Grant program</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a program to award grants to accredited schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, and nursing, and other health professional training programs for the training of health care professionals to improve the provision of prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care for racial and ethnic minority populations, including with respect to perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and provision of, care.</text></subsection><subsection id="H2C7F2FFDB8EE4EE7B7326121536216FD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility</header><text>To be eligible for a grant under subsection (a), an entity described in such subsection shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7F08712780FB427AA6E9AB53412F72EF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reporting requirements</header><paragraph id="HBF844725E7834F6E97A7180DC9C4EB6B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Periodic grantee reports</header><text>Each entity awarded a grant under this section shall periodically submit to the Secretary a report on the status of activities conducted using the grant, including a description of the impact of such training on patient outcomes, as applicable.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H325792210AB84804B59A8F0B991E3CC3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the activities conducted using grants under subsection (a) and any best practices identified and disseminated under subsection (d).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4BCFE100920245A482405ACC310D66D1"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Best practices</header><text>The Secretary may identify and disseminate best practices for the training described in subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="HAA7C79F2299F410BBB89901DF54758FE"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="HBBF22F0598754765A6CFAF5249BDF102"><enum>103.</enum><header>Study on improving training for health care providers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, through a contract with an independent research organization, conduct a study and make recommendations for accredited schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, and nursing, and other health professional training programs on best practices related to training to improve the provision of prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care for racial and ethnic minority populations, including with respect to perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and provision of, care. </text></section><section id="HC9D66C3C6D9644BEB19C3C31C459BEA5"><enum>104.</enum><header>Perinatal quality collaboratives</header><subsection id="H3AD609F5E0794BFFA5F8463882C17DC5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 317K(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/247b-12">42 U.S.C. 247b–12(a)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H454D49C7FE164E758699A8BB5FD83651"><subparagraph id="HD8D9D7EA5B804C13AFEC414DACF76AB2" indent="up1"><enum>(E)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD3B553508259440CA0B71428A493A254"><enum>(i)</enum><text>The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in coordination with other offices and agencies, as appropriate, shall establish or continue a competitive grant program for the establishment or support of perinatal quality collaboratives to improve perinatal care and perinatal health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants. A State, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization may use funds received through such grant to—</text><subclause id="HAD0663FC52614808B033163CB4930FC6" indent="up1"><enum>(I)</enum><text>support the use of evidence-based or evidence-informed practices to improve outcomes for maternal and infant health;</text></subclause><subclause id="HE6186AB23A064558B5191192A7609CD2" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>work with clinical teams; experts; State, local, and, as appropriate, Tribal public health officials; and stakeholders, including patients and families, to identify, develop, or disseminate best practices to improve perinatal care and outcomes; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H779C0DB650BE404D9E149BF0F4CCEC12" indent="up1"><enum>(III)</enum><text>employ strategies that provide opportunities for health care professionals and clinical teams to collaborate across health care settings and disciplines, including primary care and mental health, as appropriate, to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, which may include the use of data to provide timely feedback across hospital and clinical teams to inform responses, and to provide support and training to hospital and clinical teams for quality improvement, as appropriate.</text></subclause></clause><clause id="HD40D5A1F08234B478EB49DAE4CC1EB34" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>To be eligible for a grant under clause (i), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HAC4E4A08B299410784725AB6E00D976A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report regarding the activities conducted by recipients of grants under subsection (a)(2)(E) of section 317K of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/247b-12">42 U.S.C. 247b–12</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section><section id="H6341F34C9B334BB5BF055134AA0BAEEB"><enum>105.</enum><header>Integrated services for pregnant and postpartum women</header><subsection id="H7B223F21BEBF4089B457F6EB5C5679D9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Grants</header><text>Title III of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/241">42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after section 330O of such Act, as added by section 101, the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9374E660EDF14A509748962CCE843844"><section id="H9B11A2F537914F3697C1889121CF0CE3"><enum>330P.</enum><header>Integrated services for pregnant and postpartum women</header><subsection id="H1CE712A0652A4A589B4607EE7DA86BC9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary may award grants for the purpose of establishing or operating evidence-based or innovative, evidence-informed programs to deliver integrated health care services to pregnant and postpartum women to optimize the health of women and their infants, including to reduce adverse maternal health outcomes, pregnancy-related deaths, and related health disparities (including such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority populations), and, as appropriate, by addressing issues researched under subsection (b)(2) of section 317K.</text></subsection><subsection id="H2F0BCE68854D4E5889E165AF356B5F38"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Integrated services for pregnant and postpartum women</header><paragraph id="HB291282290154A9FAF4B9C3797DAAA86"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Eligibility</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), a State, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act) shall work with relevant stakeholders that coordinate care to develop and carry out the program, including—</text><subparagraph id="H91B11317308C42359B4815132FBF2EE2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>State, Tribal, and local agencies responsible for Medicaid, public health, social services, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment and services;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0E44DF90947C4CAFA6D702E27CC39CB5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>health care providers who serve pregnant and postpartum women; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H45D6034A5B3E476C9234FA9343242C8B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>community-based health organizations and health workers, including providers of home visiting services and individuals representing communities with disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and including those representing racial and ethnic minority populations.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H51BFCBF6496E4887B290BF879D3A89CE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Terms</header><subparagraph id="H3D2A60A727A24EB687CE303D6AC9055A"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Period</header><text>A grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be made for a period of 5 years. Any supplemental award made to a grantee under subsection (a) may be made for a period of less than 5 years.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6F6D920A8D6E4AB0B73239693FE54767"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Priorities</header><text>In awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—</text><clause id="H119D4DC747104ECAACABE867F1E8CA6F"><enum>(i)</enum><text>give priority to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations that have the highest rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity relative to other such States, Indian Tribes, or Tribal organizations, respectively; and</text></clause><clause id="H36142A85413841EFA379302FF2B1222B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shall consider health disparities related to maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, including such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority populations.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBC96F393EB784790867241387E4AF4A5"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Evaluation</header><text>The Secretary shall require grantees to evaluate the outcomes of the programs supported under the grant.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H121AB4F321CA4499AE5CD278115297A6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HE9A938C4FB994C87975F9281140CA5FB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report on grant outcomes and dissemination of best practices</header><paragraph id="H60DDBA291F254B79868847E71A6783C3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than February 1, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that describes—</text><subparagraph id="H5477484609984A1E940AAB1B902BFE8E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the outcomes of the activities supported by the grants awarded under the amendments made by this section on maternal and child health;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6B6381ED9E5B46E59FB4376CD3D4043F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>best practices and models of care used by recipients of grants under such amendments; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HADF6F3FAC69B49878D0FC91DBA5A7A35"><enum>(C)</enum><text>obstacles identified by recipients of grants under such amendments, and strategies used by such recipients to deliver care, improve maternal and child health, and reduce health disparities.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8E1A7767DB0F4A6FB95078209896B860"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Dissemination of best practices</header><text>Not later than August 1, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall disseminate information on best practices and models of care used by recipients of grants under the amendments made by this section (including best practices and models of care relating to the reduction of health disparities, including such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority populations, in rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity) to relevant stakeholders, which may include health providers, medical schools, nursing schools, relevant State, Tribal, and local agencies, and the general public. </text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HB14F1B66D53E40949585137A454B0D96"><enum>106.</enum><header>Maternal vaccination awareness</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In carrying out the public awareness initiative related to vaccinations pursuant to section 313 of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/245">42 U.S.C. 245</external-xref>), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take into consideration the importance of increasing awareness and knowledge of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines to prevent disease in pregnant and postpartum women and in infants and the need to improve vaccination rates in communities and populations with low rates of vaccination. </text></section></title><title id="HAE000EB833CF493CA2396652E1335CD4"><enum>II</enum><header>Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services</header><section commented="no" id="H4509E40ECB924FFE9B5DD881758C7EA9"><enum>201.</enum><header>Improving rural maternal and obstetric care data</header><subsection commented="no" id="H2B2D9E5F6813417BA07B99D738D44C2D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Maternal mortality and morbidity activities</header><text>Section 301(e) of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/241">42 U.S.C. 241</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>, preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, </quote> after <quote>delivery</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HD2BB28BF6C554F49A2A25B04CA8946BD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Office of Women's Health</header><text>Section 310A(b)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/242s">42 U.S.C. 242s(b)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>and sociocultural contexts,</quote> and inserting <quote>sociocultural (including among American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives), and geographical contexts,</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H8F411D90CD2443A2A0902BD47DF6E567"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Safe motherhood</header><text>Section 317K of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/247b-12">42 U.S.C. 247b–12</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="HE97BCEC345D04341886AE72D74C83634"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(2)(A), by inserting <quote>, including improving disaggregation of data (in a manner consistent with applicable State and Federal privacy laws)</quote> before the period; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HBB2BCECC205045C3BE0F2BDDEB6A2DB4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(2)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H24911A705AE64DC9B41BCAF0AEE7C9AF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (L), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H40189AA5A6E84C5EBD8CAC41F637B6F7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (M) as subparagraph (N); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HD50B1747DF264FA6B2F3AC5368B01967"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (L) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H96AF6AD27BA349748B3C9DB73D1F0E22"><subparagraph commented="no" id="HB195E74EC1D942E4A225133AC3BC20C0"><enum>(M)</enum><text>an examination of the relationship between maternal health and obstetric services in rural areas and outcomes in delivery and postpartum care; and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H2F33BC8165F049DEBA9DD1156604CC89"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Office of Research on Women's Health</header><text>Section 486(d)(4)(A)(iv) of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/287d">42 U.S.C. 287d(d)(4)(A)(iv)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>, including preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity</quote> before the semicolon.</text></subsection></section><section id="HDBE9596AEB1D446D9B707F4A7773737D"><enum>202.</enum><header>Rural obstetric network grants</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 330A–1 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/254c-1a">42 U.S.C. 254c–1a</external-xref>) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H415DB42C2ADF42239F5B3167C90843E0"><section id="HA01ABE894CD04827B383ACB84B370BDF"><enum>330A–2.</enum><header>Rural obstetric network grants</header><subsection id="HD2C6773E96964EEAAFEB52FF9C7E5802"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Program established</header><text>The Secretary shall award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to establish collaborative improvement and innovation networks (referred to in this section as <quote>rural obstetric networks</quote>) to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by improving maternity care and access to care in rural areas, frontier areas, maternity care health professional target areas, or jurisdictions of Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.</text></subsection><subsection id="H117BC90C36764F6381E480FE62C24A93"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>Grants or cooperative agreements awarded pursuant to this section shall be used for the establishment or continuation of collaborative improvement and innovation networks to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by improving prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services in rural areas. Rural obstetric networks established in accordance with this section may—</text><paragraph id="HCB4A7719740A4D01A27B6EA00D172E1E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>develop a network to improve coordination and increase access to maternal health care and assist pregnant women in the areas described in subsection (a) with accessing and utilizing prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services to improve outcomes in birth and maternal mortality and morbidity;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7D2F49315C17436E95450E981CCDC2C9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>identify and implement evidence-based and sustainable delivery models for providing prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services, including home visiting programs and culturally appropriate care models that reduce health disparities;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1914056918AE4BB387C69CCCAE83FA24"><enum>(3)</enum><text>develop a model for maternal health care collaboration between health care settings to improve access to care in areas described in subsection (a), which may include the use of telehealth;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H084C248BDC9E4EDC85C21C3D8981AC6E"><enum>(4)</enum><text>provide training for professionals in health care settings that do not have specialty maternity care;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H431E04DBE9854953B84A55D5C566F333"><enum>(5)</enum><text>collaborate with academic institutions that can provide regional expertise and help identify barriers to providing maternal health care, including strategies for addressing such barriers; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5D64E7298DAA49FA83D9E7766C1A36CB"><enum>(6)</enum><text>assess and address disparities in infant and maternal health outcomes, including among racial and ethnic minority populations and underserved populations in such areas described in subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9218DAA2D2C740D7928EB65A7B001F18"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="HA52F3172FBD04C1FBB63F003D062AD7D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Eligible entities</header><text>The term <term>eligible entities</term> means entities providing prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services in rural areas, frontier areas, or medically underserved areas, or to medically underserved populations or Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC6939A60BCC0452DB1C5F8ED83F3F72D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Frontier area</header><text>The term <term>frontier area</term> means a frontier county, as defined in section 1886(d)(3)(E)(iii)(III) of the Social Security Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD4EFBD03A598425CA16E72536ADC3FB5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Indian Tribes; Tribal organization</header><text>The terms <term>Indian Tribe</term> and <term>Tribal organization</term> have the meanings given the terms <term>Indian tribe</term> and <term>tribal organization</term> in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCB82348C46024866BFBB8816F88070E1"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Maternity care health professional target area</header><text>The term <term>maternity care health professional target area</term> has the meaning described in section 332(k)(2).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1028814DF14D405E96FB0FE9DB323F1A"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on activities supported by grants awarded under this section, including—</text><paragraph id="H8B895B0EBDD14ABAABCA3C0564D17548"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a description of activities conducted pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (b); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0AACC0816E984CA385142C3B94C92414"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an analysis of the effects of rural obstetric networks on improving maternal and infant health outcomes.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA2F852DAF77D458585543671F063C396"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section commented="no" id="H8BC31BBD83EC42C2A52EC2854A944B56"><enum>203.</enum><header>Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 330I of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/254c-14">42 U.S.C. 254c–14</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="H539E0BDA90C449A7A05B0C26B292B011"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (f)(3), by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDA636FB10C774A87B0869F6F240C52B6"><subparagraph commented="no" id="HC68420C4D6124163AE1953FD2E6FC4DF"><enum>(M)</enum><text>Providers of prenatal, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services, including hospitals that operate obstetric care units.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HE7398704E8884E338DA330DF012F38CD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (h)(1)(B), by striking <quote>or prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies</quote> and inserting <quote>prenatal care, labor care, birthing care, or postpartum care</quote>. </text></paragraph></section><section id="H04DA4E65F6924665B86728508D2010F9"><enum>204.</enum><header>Rural maternal and obstetric care training demonstration</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subpart 1 of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/294n">42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H89B1BC0B50994CC281910385C2F68664"><section id="H610EBF3D1DE54FE6AF864E06E33B9FB9"><enum>764.</enum><header>Rural maternal and obstetric care training demonstration</header><subsection id="HC7C8475DF84E495299BB4C2D902537F5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall award grants to accredited schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, and nursing, and other appropriate health professional training programs, to establish a training demonstration program to support—</text><paragraph id="H5CB56D7F2E13475CA37E7A67290397F0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>training for physicians, medical residents, fellows, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, certified nurse midwives, relevant home visiting workforce professionals and paraprofessionals, or other professionals who meet relevant State training and licensing requirements, as applicable, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by improving prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care in rural community-based settings; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC927CD092242471F81AB05DF254EE865"><enum>(2)</enum><text>developing recommendations for such training programs.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H731B9D75FA9548B281CE3C4259A63A32"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.</text></subsection><subsection id="HE01E60DE7969438D96325D0971538F5E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Activities</header><paragraph id="H6EA89FD1BF634EFB90E4178A555E7A39"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Training for health care professionals</header><text> A recipient of a grant under subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph id="HEE4B6F97E0CD46E1A26CDA741882BADE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall use the grant funds to plan, develop, and operate a training program to provide prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care in rural areas; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE66EBE32F2D8410C8BF471057A8BE47E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>may use the grant funds to provide additional support for the administration of the program or to meet the costs of projects to establish, maintain, or improve faculty development, or departments, divisions, or other units necessary to implement such training.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5627AF3F9AFC461788189E15FD32E3AE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Training program requirements</header><text>The recipient of a grant under subsection (a) shall ensure that training programs carried out under the grant are evidence-based and address improving prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care in rural areas, and such programs may include training on topics such as—</text><subparagraph id="HA1B4F36DA6F442D5A181F7B92EC23494"><enum>(A)</enum><text>maternal mental health, including perinatal depression and anxiety;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB8A97B1698BE4E0EBD321451CDC921ED"><enum>(B)</enum><text>substance use disorders;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5C8AF037BDCD494FA984A4CA5BB90E33"><enum>(C)</enum><text>social determinants of health that affect individuals living in rural areas; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB5DFBC03A37247C1B97B3687ECAD920E"><enum>(D)</enum><text>improving the provision of prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care for racial and ethnic minority populations, including with respect to perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and provision of, care.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0373927FA75941EC8DC01267536109D0"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Evaluation and report</header><paragraph id="H63A292AE5FC5492783BE52147FAA3CF2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Evaluation</header><subparagraph id="H1ABF1E8DB6434D8BA42D2E25EC808DBF"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall evaluate the outcomes of the demonstration program under this section.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB44F82D2FA8D41798A3895415DC28D7C"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Data submission</header><text>Recipients of a grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary performance metrics and other related data in order to evaluate the program for the report described in paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEEF9C37A3A744F1BA2CA31F92FEB2411"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header><text>Not later than January 1, 2025, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes—</text><subparagraph id="H673EEFAED1174D129C57EB19D36CE47C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an analysis of the effects of the demonstration program under this section on the quality, quantity, and distribution of maternal health care services, including prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services, and the demographics of the recipients of those services;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB0847C8CBBD94AD59DC1ED63ECF5BDD6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an analysis of maternal and infant health outcomes (including quality of care, morbidity, and mortality) before and after implementation of the program in the communities served by entities participating in the demonstration; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H98EFCC893A5D491993C5125BF0C5313A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>recommendations on whether the demonstration program should be continued.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2048C9D79BF440AE9BB62769CA27CE2E"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>. </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section></title></legis-body></bill> 

