Sec. 2. HHS agency directives
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/bill/116/hr/6164/ih/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue and disseminate guidance to States to educate providers and managed care entities about the value and process of delivering respectful maternal health care through diverse care provider models. The guidance required by paragraph
(1)shall address how States can encourage and incentivize hospitals, health systems, freestanding birth centers, other maternity care provider groups, and managed care entities— to recruit and retain maternity care providers, such as obstetrician-gynecologists, family physicians, physician assistants, midwives who meet at a minimum the international definition of the midwife and global standards for midwifery education as established by the International Confederation of Midwives, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists— from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; with experience practicing in racially and ethnically diverse communities; and who have undergone trainings on implicit and explicit bias and racism; to incorporate into maternity care teams midwives who meet at a minimum the international definition of the midwife and global standards for midwifery education as established by the International Confederation of Midwives, doulas, community health workers, peer supporters, certified lactation consultants, nutritionists and dietitians, social workers, home visitors, and navigators; to provide collaborative, culturally congruent care; and to provide opportunities for individuals enrolled in accredited midwifery education programs to participate in job shadowing with maternity care teams in hospitals, health systems, and freestanding birth centers. The Secretary of Health and Human Services acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (in this subsection referred to as the Secretary ) shall conduct a study on best practices in culturally congruent maternity care. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— complete the study required by paragraph (1); submit to the Congress and make publicly available a report on the results of such study; and include in such report— a compendium of examples of hospitals, health systems, freestanding birth centers, other maternity care provider groups, and managed care entities that are delivering culturally congruent maternal health care; a compendium of examples of hospitals, health systems, freestanding birth centers, other maternity care provider groups, and managed care entities that have low levels of racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes; and recommendations to hospitals, health systems, freestanding birth centers, other maternity care provider groups, and managed care entities for best practices in culturally congruent maternity care. In this section, the term culturally congruent , with respect to care or maternity care, means care that is in agreement with the preferred cultural values, beliefs, worldview, and practices of the health care consumer and other stakeholders.