| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0215 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 32.0215. MATERNAL HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE CAMPAIGN. (a) |
|
|
In this section, "maternal health care professional" means a health |
|
|
care professional who is certified or licensed in this state to |
|
|
provide maternal health care, including a doula and an individual |
|
|
who provides nonmedical support during pregnancy, labor, delivery, |
|
|
and the postpartum period. |
|
|
(b) Using available resources, the department shall develop |
|
|
and implement a public outreach campaign to increase the number of |
|
|
maternal health care professionals in this state's health care |
|
|
workforce to improve access to maternal health care in rural areas |
|
|
of this state and other areas with a shortage of maternal health |
|
|
care professionals. The department shall design the campaign to: |
|
|
(1) facilitate the implementation of trauma-informed |
|
|
care training programs for all maternal health care professionals; |
|
|
(2) prioritize continuing education for maternal |
|
|
health care professionals; |
|
|
(3) facilitate the implementation of training |
|
|
programs to increase the number of maternal health care |
|
|
professionals in rural areas of this state and other areas with a |
|
|
shortage of maternal health care professionals; |
|
|
(4) increase the overall capacity of the maternal |
|
|
health care workforce in this state, including by investing in |
|
|
maternal health care equipment and locations that provide maternal |
|
|
health care; |
|
|
(5) facilitate the implementation of training |
|
|
programs to increase in the maternal health care workforce the |
|
|
number of health care professionals who are members of racial or |
|
|
ethnic minority groups; and |
|
|
(6) facilitate the implementation of maternal health |
|
|
care programs to improve access to maternal health care and provide |
|
|
services to women of underserved racial or ethnic minority groups. |
|
|
(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
|
|
to implement this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
|
|
of this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall develop |
|
|
and implement the maternal health care workforce campaign required |
|
|
by Section 32.0215, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |