This bill expands data collection and research on maternal morbidity and mortality among racial and ethnic minority groups.
Specifically, the bill adds requirements to certain grants awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for maternal mortality review committees. To the extent practicable, grant-funded committees must
use the most up-to-date indicators of severe maternal morbidity;
review deaths caused by suicide, overdose, or other behavioral health conditions attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy or childbirth; and
consult with representatives of communities disproportionately affected by adverse maternal outcomes about nonclinical factors that may contribute to those outcomes.
The CDC may also award grants to committees to increase their engagement with local communities, such as by bringing on community representatives as committee members.
Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must consult with stakeholders to review maternal health data collection processes and quality measures and make recommendations to improve them.
The Department of Health and Human Services must also support studies on adverse maternal health outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native populations and other racial and ethnic minority groups.
