Opportunities to Support Mothers and Deliver Children Act
HB5406, titled the Opportunities to Support Mothers and Deliver Children Act, would amend section 2008 of the Social Security Act to create a new grant program for demonstration projects focused on building career pathways in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum services. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Education, would award grants to eligible entities to provide education and training for low-income individuals to become doulas, midwives, or other workers in the maternal health workforce.
The bill limits projects to states that recognize doulas or midwives and allow payment for their services through private or public insurance. Projects must run for at least three years and include applications showing partnerships, workforce development plans, and experience serving low-income populations. The bill also requires rigorous evaluation of the projects to identify successful models for training, certification, professional development, wages, and benefits in the maternal health workforce.
The bill would amend federal law governing the Health Profession Opportunity Grant Program by adding a new subsection authorizing targeted demonstration grants and appropriating $10 million for fiscal year 2026. It would create a federal funding stream for workforce development in maternal health occupations, especially for low-income individuals, and would define eligible entities, eligible individuals, doulas, midwives, and tribally recognized midwives for purposes of the program. The amendment would take effect on October 1, 2025, and would affect states, tribal entities, workforce boards, health care providers, and training organizations that seek to participate in the grant program.
Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the available context shows only that the bill was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. On its face, the bill appears to be framed positively as a workforce and maternal health support measure, with an emphasis on training, access, and improved career pathways. The lack of recorded debate or votes means there is no documented legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s supportive framing in its title and findings-like provisions.
The main potential points of contention are likely to involve federal spending, the scope of federal involvement in workforce training, and the bill’s eligibility limits. The bill conditions grants on state recognition of doulas or midwives and on payment for their services under insurance plans, which could exclude states with more restrictive licensing or reimbursement rules. It also sets specific training and certification standards for doulas and midwives, which may raise questions among stakeholders about professional regulation, local control, and whether the definitions are too narrow or too prescriptive. No explicit opposition or support is documented in the provided materials.