Opportunities to Support Mothers and Deliver Children Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5406
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-29T13:02:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Opportunities to Support Mothers and Deliver Children Act" (H.R. 5406) aims to expand access to education and training for low-income individuals pursuing careers in maternal health, specifically in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. It does this by authorizing grants for demonstration projects under the existing Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) Program, focusing on roles like doulas (non-medical support providers during pregnancy and birth) and midwives (trained professionals assisting with childbirth).
Key Provisions
- Grant Authority: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Education, will award grants to eligible organizations to run demonstration projects. These projects must operate in states or territories that legally recognize doulas or midwives and cover their services through public or private health insurance.
- Project Duration: Each demonstration project must last at least 3 years.
- Application Requirements:
- A detailed plan for partnerships, staff hiring, and activities to build career pathways in maternal health services.
- Proof that the state recognizes and allows doulas or midwives to practice.
- Evidence of experience working with low-income groups, or a plan to partner with organizations that have such experience.
- Evaluations: HHS must conduct thorough evaluations of the projects to identify effective strategies for creating sustainable career paths, especially for low-income and entry-level workers. This includes accessible training, certification, higher wages, and benefits like health coverage.
- Definitions:
- Eligible Individuals: People with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level (a measure of low income based on family size and location).
- Eligible Entities: A wide range of organizations, including local workforce boards, state or tribal governments, colleges, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, nonprofits, labor unions, doula/midwife training programs, and addiction treatment providers.
- Midwife: A professional meeting international standards for midwifery education and practice; includes tribally recognized midwives for Native American communities.
- Doula: A trained supporter providing emotional, physical, and informational assistance during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, with at least 60 hours of training and ongoing certification, or local government approval.
- Funding: Allocates $10 million from general Treasury funds for fiscal year 2026 to implement these grants.
- Effective Date: The changes take effect on October 1, 2025.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Section 2008 of the Social Security Act, which governs the HPOG Program (a federal initiative funding job training in health professions for low-income adults). It adds a new subsection (d) specifically for maternal health career pathways, shifting the existing subsection (d) to (e). This introduces targeted demonstration projects for doulas and midwives, which were not previously covered under HPOG, while building on the program's focus on workforce development for underserved populations.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS will oversee grant awards, evaluations, and reporting, potentially increasing administrative workload. Collaboration with Labor and Education departments could enhance interagency coordination on workforce training.
- Citizens: Low-income individuals may gain better access to paid training and career opportunities in maternal health, leading to improved job prospects and economic stability. It could also expand community support for pregnant and postpartum people, particularly in underserved areas, by growing the doula and midwife workforce.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though the bill references international midwifery standards, which may indirectly promote alignment with global health norms without affecting foreign policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Low-Income Individuals: Primary beneficiaries as eligible trainees entering maternal health careers.
- Doulas, Midwives, and Related Professionals: Gain opportunities for workforce development, certification, and integration into insured care systems.
- Eligible Entities: Organizations like workforce boards, tribes, nonprofits, hospitals, and training programs that can apply for and administer grants.
- States, Territories, and Tribes: Must recognize doulas/midwives and cover their services to participate; tribal communities benefit from specific provisions for tribally recognized midwives.
- Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals: Indirectly affected through potential improvements in access to supportive, non-medical care services.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the HPOG Program by specifying maternal health as a priority area, ensuring evaluations meet rigorous standards for evidence-based policy. It promotes equity by targeting low-income and tribal populations without creating new mandates on states beyond eligibility criteria.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; the bill uses Congress's spending power to fund voluntary demonstration projects, respecting federalism by limiting grants to willing states and tribes.
- Political: Highlights bipartisan interest in maternal health workforce shortages and postpartum support, potentially influencing future expansions of health equity programs. It avoids controversy by focusing on training rather than regulating practices directly.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Opportunities to Support Mothers and Deliver Children Act — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (8 pages)