Sec. 4. Care for federally incarcerated women related to pregnancy and childbirth
417 words·~2 min read·
/bill/115/hr/6805/ih/section-4A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The head of each Bureau of Prisons women’s facility shall ensure that appropriate services and programs are provided to women in custody at the facility, including pre-trial and contract facilities, to address the health and safety needs of inmates related to pregnancy and childbirth. The head of each Bureau of Prisons women’s facility shall ensure that: every woman of reproductive age in custody at the facility has access to pregnancy testing, contraception, and testing for sexually transmitted diseases; upon learning of an inmate’s pregnancy, either by self-report or clinical diagnostics and assessment, medical staff immediately notify an assigned case manager and social worker to ensure all appropriate protocols directly pertaining to the safety and well-being of the pregnant inmate are provided and followed, including the assessment of undue safety risks and necessary changes to accommodate where and when appropriate, as it relates to— strip searches; housing or lower bunk for safety reasons; medically recommended bedding or clothing; additional food allotment or modifications to ensure adequate nutrition and health, including dietary supplements and additional calories; and modified recreation and transport, in accordance with standards within the obstetrical and gynecological care community, to prevent overexertion or prolonged periods of sedentary movement; either at intake or not later than 48 hours after the confirmation of a prisoner’s pregnancy by a health care professional, the inmate is provided prenatal education, counseling, and birth support services provided by a licensed or certified provider trained to provide such service, including information about their parental rights and their child’s rights; every woman in custody at the facility, who is pregnant or gave birth within the previous six months, is provided— appropriate educational materials, resources, and services related to pregnancy, child birth, and parenting, including nutrition, health and safety risks, breast feeding, and postpartum depression; and prenatal education, counseling, and birth support services provided by a licensed or certified provider trained to provide such services; and every woman in custody at the facility, who is pregnant, gave birth or experienced any other pregnancy outcome within the previous 6 months is provided— evidence-based screening, assessment and treatment, including psychosocial interventions and medication, for mental health and substance use needs; and evidence-based therapeutic care for postpartum depression or depression related to pregnancy or pregnancy loss.
In carrying out subsection (b)(1), the head of the Bureau of Prisons women’s facility may excuse individual officers or employees, on a case by case basis, from carrying out such actions on the basis of sincerely held religious objections to such actions.