[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8295-S8296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4721. Mr. WARNOCK submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed
to the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title X, add the following:
Subtitle H--Maternal Health
SEC. 1071. INNOVATION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH.
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330N of such
Act, the following:
``SEC. 330O. INNOVATION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH.
``(a) In General.--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--
``(1) 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--
``(A) 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;
``(B) 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
``(C) information on addressing determinants of health that
impact maternal health outcomes for women before, during, and
after pregnancy;
``(2) 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;
``(3) 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
``(4) 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.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible for a grant under
subsection (a), an entity shall--
``(1) submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require; and
``(2) 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.
``(c) Report.--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.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated $9,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.
[[Page S8296]]
SEC. 1072. TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by
striking section 763 (42 U.S.C. 294p) and inserting the
following:
``SEC. 763. TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
``(a) Grant Program.--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.
``(b) Eligibility.--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.
``(c) Reporting Requirements.--
``(1) Periodic grantee reports.--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.
``(2) Report to congress.--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).
``(d) Best Practices.--The Secretary may identify and
disseminate best practices for the training described in
subsection (a).
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.
SEC. 1073. STUDY ON IMPROVING TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE
PROVIDERS.
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.
SEC. 1074. PERINATAL QUALITY COLLABORATIVES.
(a) In General.--Section 317K(a)(2) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-12(a)(2)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(E)(i) 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--
``(I) support the use of evidence-based or evidence-
informed practices to improve outcomes for maternal and
infant health;
``(II) 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
``(III) 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.
``(ii) 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.''.
(b) Report to Congress.--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 (42 U.S.C. 247b-12).
SEC. 1075. INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM
WOMEN.
(a) Grants.--Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section
330O of such Act, as added by section 1071, the following:
``SEC. 330P. INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM
WOMEN.
``(a) In General.--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.
``(b) Integrated Services for Pregnant and Postpartum
Women.--
``(1) Eligibility.--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--
``(A) State, Tribal, and local agencies responsible for
Medicaid, public health, social services, mental health, and
substance use disorder treatment and services;
``(B) health care providers who serve pregnant and
postpartum women; and
``(C) 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.
``(2) Terms.--
``(A) Period.--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.
``(B) Priorities.--In awarding grants under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall--
``(i) 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
``(ii) shall consider health disparities related to
maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, including
such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority
populations.
``(C) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall require grantees to
evaluate the outcomes of the programs supported under the
grant.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.
(b) Report on Grant Outcomes and Dissemination of Best
Practices.--
(1) Report.--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--
(A) the outcomes of the activities supported by the grants
awarded under the amendments made by this section on maternal
and child health;
(B) best practices and models of care used by recipients of
grants under such amendments; and
(C) 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.
(2) Dissemination of best practices.--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.
SEC. 1076. MATERNAL VACCINATION AWARENESS.
In carrying out the public awareness initiative related to
vaccinations pursuant to section 313 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 245), 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.
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