Sec. 201. Investments in community-based organizations to improve Black maternal health outcomes
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Following the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary ) shall award grants to eligible entities to establish or expand programs to prevent maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals. To be eligible to seek a grant under this section, an entity shall be a community-based organization offering programs and resources aligned with evidence-based practices for improving maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals.
During the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— conduct outreach to encourage eligible entities to apply for grants under this section; and provide technical assistance to eligible entities on best practices for applying for grants under this section. In conducting outreach under subsection (c), the Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible entities that— are based in, and provide support for, communities with high rates of adverse maternal health outcomes or significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes, to the extent such data are available; are led by Black women; and offer programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based practices for improving maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals.
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible entities that— are described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and
(C)of paragraph (1); offer programs and resources designed in consultation with and intended for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals; and offer programs and resources in the communities in which the respective eligible entities are located that— promote maternal mental health and maternal substance use disorder treatments and supports that are aligned with evidence-based practices for improving maternal mental and behavioral health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals; address social determinants of maternal health for pregnant and postpartum individuals; promote evidence-based health literacy and pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting education for pregnant and postpartum individuals; provide support from perinatal health workers to pregnant and postpartum individuals; provide culturally congruent training to perinatal health workers; conduct or support research on maternal health issues disproportionately impacting Black pregnant and postpartum individuals; provide support to family members of individuals who suffered a pregnancy-associated death or pregnancy-related death; operate midwifery practices that provide culturally congruent maternal health care and support, including for the purposes of— supporting additional education, training, and certification programs, including support for distance learning; providing financial support to current and future midwives to address education costs, debts, and other needs; clinical site investments; supporting preceptor development trainings; expanding the midwifery practice; or related needs identified by the midwifery practice and described in the practice’s application; or have developed other programs and resources that address community-specific needs for pregnant and postpartum individuals and are aligned with evidence-based practices for improving maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals. The Secretary shall provide to grant recipients under this section technical assistance on— capacity building to establish or expand programs to prevent adverse maternal health outcomes among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals; best practices in data collection, measurement, evaluation, and reporting; and planning for sustaining programs to prevent maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals after the period of the grant. Not later than the end of fiscal year 2026, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an evaluation of the grant program under this section that— assesses the effectiveness of outreach efforts during the application process in diversifying the pool of grant recipients; makes recommendations for future outreach efforts to diversify the pool of grant recipients for Department of Health and Human Services grant programs and funding opportunities related to maternal health; assesses the effectiveness of programs funded by grants under this section in improving maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals, to the extent practicable; and makes recommendations for future Department of Health and Human Services grant programs and funding opportunities that deliver funding to community-based organizations that provide programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based practices for improving maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals. To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.