AR
Arkansas House Bill HB1869

Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1869 Compare Versions

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11 Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2-Act 868 of the Regular Session
3-*JMB578* 04-07-2025 10:25:54 JMB578
4-
5-State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/7/25 1
2+*JMB578* 03/19/2025 5:22:56 PM JMB578
3+State of Arkansas 1
64 95th General Assembly A Bill 2
75 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1869 3
86 4
97 By: Representative L. Johnson 5
108 By: Senator Irvin 6
119 7
1210 For An Act To Be Entitled 8
1311 AN ACT TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES MANAGEMENT 9
1412 SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO ORGANIZE 10
1513 MATERNAL HEALTH RESOURCES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
1614 12
1715 13
1816 Subtitle 14
1917 TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES 15
2018 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT 16
2119 OF HEALTH; AND TO ORGANIZE MATERNAL 17
2220 HEALTH RESOURCES. 18
2321 19
2422 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 20
2523 21
2624 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 16, is amended to add an 22
2725 additional subchapter to read as follows: 23
2826 Subchapter 26 — Maternal Outcomes Management System 24
2927 25
30- 20-16-2601. Legislative intent. 26
31- It is the intent of this subchapter to establish a comprehensive 27
32-statewide system of care addressing maternal health by organizing resources, 28
33-educating providers and patients, incentivizing best practices, and 29
34-collecting critical data to drive improvement. 30
35- 31
36- 20-16-2602. Maternal Outcomes Management System. 32
37- (a) The Department of Health shall create a comprehensive statewide 33
38-system of care addressing maternal health to be called the "Maternal Outcomes 34
39-Management System". 35
40- (b) The Maternal Outcomes Management System shall without limitation: 36 As Engrossed: H4/7/25 HB1869
28+ 20-16-2601. Legislative findings and intent. 26
29+ (a) The General Assembly finds that: 27
30+ (1) In this state, the maternal mortality rate has consistently 28
31+surpassed the national average, with an estimated ninety -two percent (92%) of 29
32+maternal deaths being preventable; 30
33+ (2) Approximately seventy -five (75) to one hundred (100) women 31
34+in this state die from pregnancy -related complications each year, 32
35+underscoring the urgency of effective maternal health interventions; 33
36+ (3) This state has successfully addressed trauma and stroke -34
37+related mortality issues by developing a statewide system of care that has 35
38+resulted in a fifty percent (50%) reduction in preventable trauma mortality 36 HB1869
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41+and a move from fiftieth in the nation in 2011 for stroke mortality to 1
42+thirty-seventh in 2021; and 2
43+ (4) It is critical to the health of the residents of this state 3
44+to ensure that every mother in this state has access to the resources and 4
45+care that she needs. 5
46+ (b) It is the intent of this subchapter to establish a comprehensive 6
47+statewide system of care addressing maternal health by organizing resources, 7
48+educating providers and patients, incentivizing best practices, and 8
49+collecting critical data to drive improvement. 9
50+ 10
51+ 20-16-2602. Maternal Outcomes Management System. 11
52+ (a) The Department of Health shall create a comprehensive statewide 12
53+system of care addressing maternal health to be called the "Maternal Outcomes 13
54+Management System". 14
55+ (b) The Maternal Outcomes Management System shall without limitation: 15
56+ (1)(A) Research and organize maternal health resources. 16
57+ (B) The Department of Health, in conjunction with other 17
58+state agencies as appropriate, shall maintain on the website of the 18
59+Department of Health resources pertaining to maternal health including 19
60+without limitation information regarding: 20
61+ (i) Enrollment in the Arkansas Medicaid Program; 21
62+ (ii) Lactation education; 22
63+ (iii) Provider access; 23
64+ (iv) Transportation resources; 24
65+ (v) Maternal health education; and 25
66+ (vi) Local community support services; 26
67+ (2) Provide education to patients and clinicians regarding 27
68+maternal health issues; 28
69+ (3) Incentivize best practices for maternal health through the 29
70+grant program described in § 20 -16-2603; 30
71+ (4) In conjunction with the Arkansas Hospital Association, the 31
72+Department of Human Services, and the Department of Health, collect data 32
73+concerning maternal health from birthing and delivery hospitals to promote 33
74+best practices and to identify opportunities for improvement in maternal 34
75+health care; 35
76+ (5) Develop a platform for structured peer review; and 36 HB1869
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79+ (6) Coordinate care through the continuum of services needed to 1
80+ensure the best maternal health outcomes. 2
81+ (c) The activities of the Maternal Outcomes Management System under 3
82+this section and the additional requirements under this subchapter are 4
83+contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funding. 5
84+ 6
85+ 20-16-2603. Grants for birthing and delivery hospitals — Designation 7
86+system. 8
87+ (a)(1) As part of the Maternal Outcomes Management System, the 9
88+Department of Health shall establish a grant program for birthing and 10
89+delivery hospitals that includes a designation system for birthing and 11
90+delivery hospitals based on the individual hospital's capability to provide 12
91+clinical care for pregnant women. 13
92+ (2) The department shall: 14
93+ (A) Accept applications from birthing and delivery 15
94+hospitals to participate in the grant program under subdivision (a)(1) of 16
95+this section; 17
96+ (B) Determine conditions for designation in the grant 18
97+program under subdivision (a)(1) of this section; and 19
98+ (C) Set the time frame for review and renewal of the 20
99+applications under subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section. 21
100+ (3) The designation system for birthing and delivery hospitals 22
101+described in subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall: 23
102+ (A) Be in accordance with the levels of maternal care from 24
103+the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as existing on 25
104+January 1, 2025; and 26
105+ (B) Evaluate the capabilities of a hospital to deliver 27
106+high-quality maternity care and ensure that all mothers receive the 28
107+appropriate level of care. 29
108+ (4) The birthing and delivery hospitals under subdivision (a)(1) 30
109+of this section shall be organized into the appropriate hospital regions to 31
110+meet regularly as determined by the department to discuss maternal health 32
111+data and to provide a forum for regional peer review and performance feedback 33
112+to and from the department and the birthing and delivery hospitals. 34
113+ (b) To qualify for a grant under the grant program established under 35
114+subsection (a) of this section, a birthing and delivery hospital shall meet 36 HB1869
44115
45- (1)(A) Research and organize maternal health resources. 1
46- (B) The Department of Health, in conjunction with other 2
47-state agencies as appropriate, shall maintain on the website of the 3
48-Department of Health resources pertaining to maternal health including 4
49-without limitation information regarding: 5
50- (i) Enrollment in the Arkansas Medicaid Program; 6
51- (ii) Lactation education; 7
52- (iii) Provider access; 8
53- (iv) Transportation resources; 9
54- (v) Maternal health education; and 10
55- (vi) Local community support services; 11
56- (2) Provide education to patients and clinicians regarding 12
57-maternal health issues; 13
58- (3) Incentivize best practices for maternal health through the 14
59-grant program described in § 20 -16-2603; 15
60- (4) In conjunction with the Arkansas Hospital Association, the 16
61-Department of Human Services, and the Department of Health, collect data 17
62-concerning maternal health from birthing and delivery hospitals to promote 18
63-best practices and to identify opportunities for improvement in maternal 19
64-health care; 20
65- (5) Develop a platform for structured peer review; and 21
66- (6) Coordinate care through the continuum of services needed to 22
67-ensure the best maternal health outcomes. 23
68- (c) The activities of the Maternal Outcomes Management System under 24
69-this section and the additional requirements under this subchapter are 25
70-contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funding. 26
116+ 4 03/19/2025 5:22:56 PM JMB578
117+requirements set by the department including without limitation: 1
118+ (1) Community outreach and education; 2
119+ (2) Clinician education on maternal health; 3
120+ (3) Peer review of all birthing and delivery complications; 4
121+ (4) Participation in regional meetings of birthing and delivery 5
122+hospitals; 6
123+ (5) An on-site maternal health coordinator; 7
124+ (6) Local site visits from inspectors of the department; and 8
125+ (7) Achievement of certain clinical metrics consistent with 9
126+evidence-based practices proven to improve maternal health outcomes. 10
127+ (c) A grant under this section shall be distributed in a manner that 11
128+provides the greatest financial support to birthing and delivery hospitals 12
129+with the fewest resources. 13
130+ (d) The department may promulgate rules to implement this section. 14
131+ 15
132+ 20-16-2604. MOMS Care Connect — Coordinating call center. 16
133+ The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be called the 17
134+"MOMS Care Connect" to operate in conjunction with the Arkansas Trauma Call 18
135+Center and to coordinate transfers of pregnant women between hospitals to 19
136+ensure an appropriate level of care is provided. 20
137+ 21
138+ 20-16-2605. Postpartum Support Hotline — Post-delivery call center. 22
139+ (a)(1) The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be 23
140+called the "Postpartum Support Hotline" to proactively reach out to mothers 24
141+post-delivery. 25
142+ (2) The call center established in this section shall be 26
143+separate from MOMS Care Connect established under § 20 -16-2604. 27
144+ (3) The department may partner with another state entity or an 28
145+institution of higher education to establish the call center established in 29
146+this section. 30
147+ (b) The call center under this section shall screen mothers through a 31
148+standardized questionnaire developed by the department to determine which 32
149+mothers need follow-up information, including without limitation information 33
150+regarding: 34
151+ (1) The mental well -being of the mother; 35
152+ (2) Access to follow -up healthcare; 36 HB1869
153+
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155+ (3) Lactation or feeding concerns; 1
156+ (4) Healthy sleep for infants; and 2
157+ (5) Screening for certain medical conditions. 3
158+ (c) The call center under this section shall provide connections 4
159+directly to resources to support mothers identified as needing follow -up 5
160+information. 6
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71181 27
72- 20-16-2603. Grants for birthing and delivery hospitals — Designation 28
73-system. 29
74- (a)(1) As part of the Maternal Outcomes Management System, the 30
75-Department of Health shall establish a grant program for birthing and 31
76-delivery hospitals that includes a designation system for birthing and 32
77-delivery hospitals based on the individual hospital's capability to provide 33
78-clinical care for pregnant women. 34
79- (2) The department shall: 35
80- (A) Accept applications from birthing and delivery 36 As Engrossed: H4/7/25 HB1869
81-
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83-
84-
85-hospitals to participate in the grant program under subdivision (a)(1) of 1
86-this section; 2
87- (B) Determine conditions for designation in the grant 3
88-program under subdivision (a)(1) of this section; and 4
89- (C) Set the time frame for review and renewal of the 5
90-applications under subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section. 6
91- (3) The designation system for birthing and delivery hospitals 7
92-described in subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall: 8
93- (A) Be in accordance with the levels of maternal care from 9
94-the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as existing on 10
95-January 1, 2025; and 11
96- (B) Evaluate the capabilities of a hospital to deliver 12
97-high-quality maternity care and ensure that all mothers receive the 13
98-appropriate level of care. 14
99- (4) The birthing and delivery hospitals under subdivision (a)(1) 15
100-of this section shall be organized into the appropriate hospital regions to 16
101-meet regularly as determined by the department to discuss maternal health 17
102-data and to provide a forum for regional peer review and performance feedback 18
103-to and from the department and the birthing and delivery hospitals. 19
104- (b) To qualify for a grant under the grant program established under 20
105-subsection (a) of this section, a birthing and delivery hospital shall meet 21
106-requirements set by the department including without limitation: 22
107- (1) Community outreach and education; 23
108- (2) Clinician education on maternal health; 24
109- (3) Peer review of all birthing and delivery complications; 25
110- (4) Participation in regional meetings of birthing and delivery 26
111-hospitals; 27
112- (5) An on-site maternal health coordinator; 28
113- (6) Local site visits from inspectors of the department; and 29
114- (7) Achievement of certain clinical metrics consistent with 30
115-evidence-based practices proven to improve maternal health outcomes. 31
116- (c) A grant under this section shall be distributed in a manner that 32
117-provides the greatest financial support to birthing and delivery hospitals 33
118-with the fewest resources. 34
119- (d) The department may promulgate rules to implement this section. 35
120- 36 As Engrossed: H4/7/25 HB1869
121-
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123-
124-
125- 20-16-2604. MOMS Care Connect — Coordinating call center. 1
126- The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be called the 2
127-"MOMS Care Connect" to operate in conjunction with the Arkansas Trauma Call 3
128-Center and to coordinate transfers of pregnant women between hospitals to 4
129-ensure an appropriate level of care is provided. 5
130- 6
131- 20-16-2605. Postpartum Support Hotline — Post-delivery call center. 7
132- (a)(1) The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be 8
133-called the "Postpartum Support Hotline" to proactively reach out to mothers 9
134-post-delivery. 10
135- (2) The call center established in this section shall be 11
136-separate from MOMS Care Connect established under § 20 -16-2604. 12
137- (3) The department may partner with another state entity or an 13
138-institution of higher education to establish the call center established in 14
139-this section. 15
140- (b) The call center under this section shall screen mothers through a 16
141-standardized questionnaire developed by the department to determine which 17
142-mothers need follow-up information, including without limitation information 18
143-regarding: 19
144- (1) The mental well -being of the mother; 20
145- (2) Access to follow -up healthcare; 21
146- (3) Lactation or feeding concerns; 22
147- (4) Healthy sleep for infants; and 23
148- (5) Screening for certain medical conditions. 24
149- (c) The call center under this section shall provide connections 25
150-directly to resources to support mothers identified as needing follow -up 26
151-information. 27
152182 28
153-/s/L. Johnson 29
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155185 31
156-APPROVED: 4/17/25 32
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