What does Preamble of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This bill, formally titled 'To amend the Public Health Service Act to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, and for other purposes,' aims to amend the Public Health Service Act.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Perinatal Workforce Act

What does HHS AGENCY DIRECTIVES. of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance to states within two years of the Act's enactment. The guidance aims to educate providers and insurers about respectful maternal health care delivery through diverse care models. The guidance should address strategies for recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, including those with experience in diverse communities and implicit bias training. It encourages incorporating various professionals into maternity care teams, such as midwives, perinatal health workers, and lactation consultants. The guidance also emphasizes providing culturally and linguistically congruent care and offering job shadowing opportunities for midwifery students. HHS, through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, is required to conduct a study on best practices in respectful and culturally and linguistically congruent maternity care. Within two years of enactment, HHS must submit a report to Congress and make it publicly available, including examples of successful programs and recommendations for improvement. The report should highlight entities delivering respectful care and those making progress in reducing maternal health disparities.

What does GRANTS TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY THE PERINATAL WORKFORCE. of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This section amends Title VII of the Public Health Service Act to award grants for growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce. Grants are awarded to establish or expand programs for education and training in perinatal health fields. Priority is given to programs that recruit and retain students from racial and ethnic minority groups. Grant recipients must submit annual reports on their activities and outcomes. The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to grant recipients and submit a report to Congress on the program's effectiveness.

What does GRANTS TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY THE NURSING WORKFORCE IN MATERNAL of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This section amends Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act to establish a Perinatal Nursing Workforce Grants program. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will award grants to schools of nursing to grow and diversify the perinatal nursing workforce. Grants must be used to provide scholarships to students pursuing education as nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, or clinical nurse specialists with a focus on maternal and perinatal health. Priority for grants will be given to schools demonstrating strategies for recruiting and retaining a diverse student pool, partnering with healthcare providers in shortage areas, and addressing maternal health disparities. Recipients must submit annual reports on grant activities, including student demographics and career placement data. Grants will have a period of up to 5 years. The Secretary is authorized to appropriate $15,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this program. The Secretary will also prepare a report on the program's effectiveness within four years of enactment, focusing on recruitment and placement of nurses from underserved populations.

What does GAO REPORT. of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

The Comptroller General must submit a report to Congress every 5 years on barriers to maternal health education and care. The report must include assessments of barriers to entering and completing midwifery and other maternity care education programs. The report must also assess disparities in access to maternity care providers and recommend ways to promote greater access equity. Recommendations for promoting equity in compensation for perinatal health workers must be included. The report's focus is on low-income women and women from racial and ethnic minority groups.

What does DEFINITIONS. of Perinatal Workforce Act do?

This section defines terms used within the Act. “Culturally and linguistically congruent” refers to care aligned with the cultural values, beliefs, worldview, language, and practices of the health care consumer and stakeholders. A “maternity care provider” is a healthcare professional, including physicians, midwives, advanced practice registered nurses, doulas, or lactation consultants, with a focus on maternal or perinatal health. “Perinatal health worker” includes nonclinical roles such as doulas, community health workers, lactation educators, and social workers, all focused on maternal or perinatal health. “Postpartum” is defined as the one-year period following the last day of pregnancy. “Racial and ethnic minority group” is defined by section 1707(g)(1) of the Public Health Service Act.

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Perinatal Workforce Act

Last updated: 3/25/2026 · Introduced: 3/25/2026

Author: Gwen Moore (D-WI)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide guidance to states on respectful and culturally appropriate maternal health care delivery, emphasizing workforce diversity and the inclusion of various professionals.
The legislation establishes grant programs to expand education and training in perinatal health fields, prioritizing initiatives that recruit and retain students from racial and ethnic minority groups.
The bill authorizes grants to nursing schools to support scholarships for students pursuing maternal and perinatal health specialties, with a focus on diversifying the nursing workforce and addressing health disparities.

119th Congressin committeeS. 4186(In Committee)Official page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 5 more.

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