,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #deej ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ah1 #bjbf,ms4 ,warren 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,ms4 ,blunt ,rochester1 and ,ms4 ,alsobrooks7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to authorize appropriations for data collection1 surveillance1 and research on maternal health outcomes during public health emergencies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,maternal ,health ,pandemic ,response ,act4 #b4 ,funding for data collection1 surveillance1 and research on maternal health outcomes during public health emergencies ,to conduct or support data collection1 surveillance1 and research on maternal health as a result of public health emergencies and infectious diseases that pose a risk to maternal and infant health1 including support to assist in the capacity building for ,state1 ,tribal1 territorial1 and local public health departments to collect and transmit racial1 ethnic1 and other demographic data related to maternal health1 there are authorized to be appropriated-- 7#a7 #ajj1jjj1jjj for the ,surveillance for ,emerging ,threats to ,mothers and ,babies program of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 to support the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention in its efforts to-- 7,a7 work with public health1 clinical1 and community-based organizations to provide timely1 continually updated guidance to families and health care providers on ways to reduce risk to pregnant and postpartum individuals and their newborns and tailor interventions to improve their long-term health2 7,b7 partner with more ,state1 ,tribal1 territorial1 and local public health programs in the collection and analysis of clinical data on the impact of public health emergencies and infectious diseases that pose a risk to maternal and infant health on pregnant and postpartum patients and their newborns1 particularly among patients from racial and ethnic minority groups2 and 7,c7 establish regionally based centers of excellence to offer medical1 public health1 and other knowledge to ensure communities can help pregnant and postpartum individuals and newborns get the care and support they need1 particularly in areas with large populations of individuals from demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality1 severe maternal morbidity1 maternal health disparities1 or other adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes2 7#b7 #cj1jjj1jjj for the ,enhancing ,reviews and ,surveillance to ,eliminate ,maternal ,mortality program 7commonly known as the ,,erase ,,mm program7 of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 to support the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention in expanding its partnerships with ,states and ,indian ,tribes and provide technical assistance to existing ,maternal ,mortality ,review ,committees2 7#c7 #de1jjj1jjj for the ,pregnancy ,risk ,assessment ,monitoring ,system 7commonly known as the ,,prams7 of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 to support the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention in its efforts to-- 7,a7 create a supplement to its ,,prams survey related to public health emergencies and infectious diseases that pose a risk to maternal and infant health2 7,b7 add questions around experiences of respectful maternity care in prenatal1 intrapartum1 and postpartum care2 and 7,c7 work to transition such ,,prams survey to an electronic platform and expand such ,,prams survey to a larger population1 with a special focus on reaching underrepresented communities1 and other program improvements2 and 7#d7 #ae1jjj1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,child ,health and ,human ,development1 to conduct or support research for interventions to mitigate the effects of public health emergencies and infectious diseases that pose a risk to maternal and infant health1 with a particular focus on individuals from demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality1 severe maternal morbidity1 maternal health disparities1 or other adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes4 #c4 ,public health emergency maternal health data collection and disclosure 7a7 ,availability of collected data ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services1 shall make publicly available on the website of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention data described in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,data described ,the data described in this subsection are data collected through ,federal surveillance systems under the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention with respect to public health emergencies and individuals who are pregnant or in a postpartum period4 ,such data shall include the following3 7#a7 ,diagnostic testing1 confirmed cases1 hospitalizations1 deaths1 and other health outcomes related to an infectious disease outbreak among pregnant and postpartum individuals4 7#b7 ,maternal and infant health outcomes among individuals who test positive for an infectious disease during or after pregnancy4 7c7 ,american ,indian and ,alaska ,native ,health outcomes ,in carrying out subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall consult with ,indian ,tribes and confer with ,urban ,indian organizations4 7d7 ,disaggregated information ,in carrying out subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall disaggregate data by race1 ethnicity1 gender1 primary language1 geography1 socioeconomic status1 and other relevant factors4 7e7 ,update ,during public health emergencies1 the ,secretary shall update the data made available under this section-- 7#a7 at least on a monthly basis2 and 7#b7 not less than one month after the end of such public health emergency4 7f7 ,privacy ,in carrying out subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 take steps to protect the privacy of individuals pursuant to regulations promulgated under section #bfd7;c7 of the ,health ,insurance ,portability and ,accountability ,act of #aiif 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;d-#b note72 and 7#b7 ensure that-- 7,a7 all data collected is deidentified2 7,b7 at a minimum1 there is no disclosure of any individually identifying or potentially identifying information regarding a patient or a patient's health care provider2 and 7,c7 all data is collected in a manner that is consistent with applicable ,federal and ,state privacy law4 7g7 ,guidance 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after the declaration of a public health emergency1 the ,secretary shall issue guidance to ,states and local public health departments to ensure that-- 7,a7 laboratories that test specimens for an infectious disease receive all relevant demographic data on race1 ethnicity1 pregnancy status1 and other demographic data as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 data described in subsection 7b7 are disaggregated by race1 ethnicity1 gender1 primary language1 geography1 socioeconomic status1 and other relevant factors4 7#b7 ,consultation ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall consult with ,indian ,tribes-- 7,a7 to ensure that such guidance includes tribally developed best practices2 and 7,b7 to reduce misclassification of ,american ,indians and ,alaska ,natives4 #d4 ,public health communication regarding maternal care during public health emergencies ,the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention shall conduct public health education campaigns during public health emergencies to ensure that pregnant and postpartum individuals1 their employers1 and their health care providers have accurate1 evidence-based information on maternal and infant health risks during the public health emergency1 with a particular focus on reaching pregnant and postpartum individuals in underserved communities4 #e4 ,task force on birthing experience and safe1 respectful1 responsive1 and empowering maternity care during public health emergencies 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall convene a task force 7in this section referred to as the ,task ,force7 to develop ,federal recommendations regarding respectful1 responsive1 and empowering maternity care1 including safe birth care and postpartum care1 during public health emergencies4 7b7 ,duties ,the ,task ,force shall develop1 publicly post1 and update ,federal recommendations in multiple languages to ensure high-quality1 nondiscriminatory maternity care1 promote positive birthing experiences1 and improve maternal health outcomes during public health emergencies1 with a particular focus on outcomes for individuals from demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality1 severe maternal morbidity1 maternal health disparities1 or other adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes4 ,such recommendations shall-- 7#a7 address1 with particular attention to ensuring equitable treatment on the basis of race and ethnicity-- 7,a7 measures to facilitate respectful1 responsive1 and empowering maternity care2 7,b7 measures to facilitate telehealth maternity care for pregnant individuals who cannot regularly access in-person care2 7,c7 strategies to increase access to specialized care for those with high-risk pregnancies or pregnant individuals with elevated risk factors2 7,d7 diagnostic testing for pregnant and laboring patients2 7,e7 birthing without one's chosen companions1 with one's chosen companions1 and with smartphone or other telehealth connection to one's chosen companions2 7,f7 newborn separation after birth in relation to maternal infection status2 7,g7 breast milk feeding in relation to maternal infection status2 7,h7 licensure1 training1 scope of practice1 and ,medicaid and other insurance reimbursement for certified midwives1 certified nurse-midwives1 and certified professional midwives1 who meet1 at a minimum1 the international definition of a midwife and global standards for midwifery education1 as established by the ,international ,confederation of ,midwives1 in a manner that facilitates inclusion of midwives of color and midwives from underserved communities2 7,i7 financial support and training for perinatal health workers who provide nonclinical support to individuals from pregnancy through the postpartum period in a manner that facilitates inclusion from underserved communities2 7,j7 strategies to ensure and expand doula coverage under ,state ,medicaid programs2 7,k7 how to identify1 address1 and treat prenatal and postpartum mental and behavioral health conditions1 such as anxiety1 substance use disorder1 and depression1 during public health emergencies2 7,l7 how to identify and address instances of intimate partner violence during pregnancy which may arise or intensify during public health emergencies2 7,m7 strategies to address hospital capacity concerns in communities with a surge in infectious disease cases and to provide childbearing individuals with options that reduce the potential for cross-contamination and increase the ability to implement their care preferences while maintaining safety and quality1 such as the use of freestanding birth centers2 7,n7 provision of child care services during prenatal and postpartum appointments for mothers whose children are unable to attend as a result of restrictions relating to the public health emergencies2 7,o7 how to identify and address racism1 bias1 and discrimination in the delivery of maternity care services to pregnant and postpartum individuals1 including evaluating the value of training for hospital staff on implicit bias and racism1 respectful1 responsive1 and empowering maternity care1 and demographic data collection2 7,p7 how to address the needs of undocumented pregnant individuals and new mothers who may be afraid or unable to seek needed care during the public health emergency2 7,q7 how to address the needs of uninsured and underinsured pregnant individuals who have historically relied on emergency departments for care2 7,r7 how to identify pregnant and postpartum individuals at risk for depression1 anxiety disorder1 psychosis1 obsessive-compulsive disorder1 and other maternal mood disorders before1 during1 and after pregnancy1 and how to treat those diagnosed with a prenatal or postpartum mood disorder2 7,s7 how to effectively and compassionately screen for substance use disorder during pregnancy and postpartum and help pregnant and postpartum individuals find support and effective treatment2 7,t7 how to ensure access to infant nutrition during public health emergencies2 and 7,u7 such other matters as the ,task ,force determines appropriate2 7#b7 identify barriers to the implementation of the recommendations2 7#c7 take into consideration existing ,state and other programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in addressing pregnancy1 birth1 and postpartum care during public health emergencies2 and 7#d7 identify policies specific to public health emergencies that should be discontinued when safely possible and those that should be continued as the public health emergency abates4 7c7 ,membership ,the ,secretary shall appoint the members of the ,task ,force4 ,such members shall be comprised of-- 7#a7 representatives of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 including representatives of-- 7,a7 the ,secretary2 7,b7 the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 7,c7 the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration2 7,d7 the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services2 7,e7 the ,director of the ,agency for ,healthcare ,research and ,quality2 7,f7 the ,commissioner of ,food and ,drugs2 7,g7 the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use2 and 7,h7 the ,director of the ,indian ,health ,service2 7#b7 at least #c ,state1 local1 or territorial public health officials representing departments of public health1 who shall represent jurisdictions from different regions of the ,united ,states with relatively high concentrations of historically marginalized populations2 7#c7 at least #a ,tribal public health official representing departments of public health2 7#d7 #a or more representatives of community-based organizations that address adverse maternal health outcomes with a specific focus on racial and ethnic inequities in maternal health outcomes1 with special consideration given to representatives of such organizations that are led by a person of color or from communities with significant minority populations2 7#e7 a professionally diverse panel of maternity care providers and perinatal health workers2 7#f7 #a or more patients who were pregnant or gave birth during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency or a subsequent public health emergency2 7#g7 #a or more patients who have received support from a perinatal health worker2 and 7#h7 racially and ethnically diverse representation from at least #c independent experts with knowledge or field experience with racial and ethnic disparities in public health1 women's health1 or maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity4 #f4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,culturally and linguistically congruent ,the term culturally and linguistically congruent1 with respect to care or maternity care1 means care that is in agreement with the preferred cultural values1 beliefs1 worldview1 language1 and practices of the health care consumer and other stakeholders4 7#b7 ,maternal mortality ,the term maternal mortality means a death occurring during or within a #a-year period after pregnancy1 caused by pregnancy-related or childbirth complications1 including a suicide1 overdose1 or other death resulting from a mental health or substance use disorder attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy-related or childbirth complications4 7#c7 ,perinatal health worker ,the term perinatal health worker means a nonclinical health worker focused on maternal or perinatal health1 such as a doula1 community health worker1 peer supporter1 lactation educator or counselor1 nutritionist or dietitian1 childbirth educator1 social worker1 home visitor1 patient navigator or coordinator1 or language interpreter4 7#d7 ,postpartum and postpartum period ,the terms postpartum and postpartum period refer to the #a-year period beginning on the last day of the pregnancy of an individual4 7#e7 ,public health emergency ,the term public health emergency means a public health emergency declared under section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d74 7#f7 ,racial and ethnic minority group ,the term racial and ethnic minority group has the meaning given such term in section #agjg7;g77#a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjju-#f7;g77#a774 7#g7 ,respectful maternity care ,the term respectful maternity care refers to care organized for1 and provided to1 pregnant and postpartum individuals in a manner that-- 7,a7 is culturally and linguistically congruent2 7,b7 maintains their dignity1 privacy1 and confidentiality2 7,c7 ensures freedom from harm and mistreatment2 and 7,d7 enables informed choice and continuous support4 7#h7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#i7 ,severe maternal morbidity ,the term severe maternal morbidity means a health condition1 including mental health conditions and substance use disorders1 attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy or childbirth that results in significant short-term or long-term consequences to the health of the individual who was pregnant4