Maternal Health Coordinator Program; created, report.
Summary
SB 1347 creates the Maternal Health Nurse Navigator Program within the Virginia Department of Health. The program is designed to serve pregnant women and postpartum women up to 12 months after birth, along with their families, by offering risk-reduction interventions, health education, care coordination, referrals, and related resources in clinical, community, virtual, and home settings.
The bill requires the Department to place a licensed advanced practice registered nurse as a maternal health nurse navigator in each of Virginia’s 35 health districts and a regional coordinator in each of the Commonwealth’s five health regions. Navigators would conduct outreach, assess health and social risk factors, provide case management, make home visits, and offer childbirth and parenting education, including breastfeeding encouragement. The bill also establishes a referral process requiring physicians and nurses to inform eligible patients about the program and, if the patient agrees, send contact information and any high-risk pregnancy designation to the Department of Health. Navigators must contact referred patients within 14 days and continue follow-up at least every 90 days unless the patient opts out.
Impact
The bill adds a new chapter to Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia and creates a statewide maternal health outreach and care-coordination structure within the Department of Health. It imposes new duties on the Department, licensed physicians and nurses, and newly designated nurse navigators and regional coordinators, while also requiring data collection and annual reporting beginning December 1, 2026. The program is voluntary for patients, but it expands state involvement in maternal and postpartum support services and creates a formal referral pipeline from providers to public health staff.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support in committee: the Senate Education and Health Committee reported the substitute version unanimously, 15-0, and rereferred it to Finance and Appropriations. No committee transcript was provided, but the unanimous vote indicates broad agreement on the bill’s public health goals and the need for maternal support services. The bill’s framing as a maternal health coordination program also suggests a generally favorable reception.
Contention
No specific objections are documented in the provided materials, but the bill could raise questions about implementation, staffing, and funding because it requires nurse navigators in every health district and regional coordinators across the state. Potential points of discussion include the administrative burden on providers to advise patients and transmit information, privacy considerations tied to referral data, and whether the Department has sufficient resources to operate the program effectively. Because the bill was rereferred to Finance and Appropriations, fiscal impact and program cost are likely the main areas for further scrutiny.