Sec. 108. Grants to State, local, and Tribal public health departments addressing social determinants of health for pregnant and postpartum women
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The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary ) shall award grants to State, local, and Tribal public health departments to address social determinants of maternal health in order to reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. A public health department receiving a grant under this section may use funds received through the grant to— build capacity and hire staff to coordinate efforts of the public health department to address social determinants of maternal health; develop, and provide for distribution of, resource lists of available social services for women in the prenatal and postpartum periods, which social services may include— transportation vouchers; housing supports; child care access; healthy food access; nutrition counseling; lactation supports; lead testing and abatement; clean water; infant formula; maternal mental and behavioral health care services; wellness and stress management programs; and other social services as determined by the public health department; in consultation with local stakeholders, establish or designate a one-stop resource center that provides coordinated social services in a single location for women in the prenatal or postpartum period; or directly address specific social determinant needs for the community that are related to maternal health as identified by the public health department, such as— transportation; housing; child care; healthy foods; infant formula; nutrition counseling; lactation supports; lead testing and abatement; air and water quality; wellness and stress management programs; and other social determinants as determined by the public health department.
In awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give special consideration to State, local, and Tribal public health departments that— propose to use the grants to reduce or end racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity rates; and operate in areas with high rates of— maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity; or significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity rates. In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall provide guidance to grantees on strategies for long-term viability of programs funded through this section after such funding ends.
As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, a grantee shall agree to— evaluate the activities funded through the grant with respect to— maternal health outcomes with a specific focus on racial and ethnic disparities; the subjective assessment of such activities by the beneficiaries of such activities, including mothers and their families; and cost effectiveness and return on investment; and not later than 180 days after the end of the period of the grant, submit a report on the results of such evaluation to the Secretary.
Not later than the end of fiscal year 2026, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress— summarizing the evaluations submitted under paragraph (1); and making recommendations for improving maternal health and reducing or eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes, based on the results of grants under this section. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.