HLS 24RS-2431 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 113
BY REPRESENTATIVE HILFERTY
HEALTH/WOMEN'S: Creates the Postpartum Newborn Nurse Home Visiting Task Force
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To create a task force to study the implementation and impact of the Family Connects model
3 of postpartum newborn nurse home visiting in Louisiana and other states, to develop
4 policy and funding recommendations to implement the Family Connects model in
5 this state, to provide for the composition and duties of the task force, and to report
6 findings to the Louisiana Legislature.
7 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes that evidence-based newborn nurse
8home visiting programs for babies have demonstrated success in improving outcomes for
9children and families; and
10 WHEREAS, a 2023 report by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children found that
11current state-sponsored home visiting programs reached only approximately six percent of
12all births in the state in 2022; and
13 WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks among the highest states for maternal and infant
14mortality and lacks access to the services that address the needs of postpartum mothers and
15their infants; and
16 WHEREAS, very young children represent the highest percentage of those children
17taken into the child welfare system; and
18 WHEREAS, parents of children across the economic spectrum can benefit from
19targeted services in their baby's earliest days; and
20 WHEREAS, the Family Connects model of postpartum newborn nurse home visiting
21is being provided in local communities and demonstrating success in Louisiana; and
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1 WHEREAS, other states have recognized the benefits of the Family Connects model
2of postpartum newborn nurse home visiting and designed public and private insurance
3benefits as a sustainable source of funding for postpartum newborn nurse home visiting
4programs; and
5 WHEREAS, postpartum nurse newborn home visiting services can help families
6identify potential health issues that may lead to developmental delays allowing for less
7costly interventions; and
8 WHEREAS, the state could dramatically change the trajectory for many children by
9increasing access to postpartum nurse newborn home visiting services to families when
10children are the most vulnerable and their brains are rapidly developing; and
11 WHEREAS, the Family Connects model of postpartum newborn nurse home visiting
12has been found to improve health outcomes and reduce costs associated with emergency and
13inpatient hospital utilization.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
15create the Postpartum Newborn Nurse Home Visiting Task Force.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
17following members:
18 (1) The director of the Louisiana Medicaid program or his designee.
19 (2) The director of the bureau of family health within the Louisiana Department of
20Health or his designee.
21 (3) The medical director of the Louisiana Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review
22within the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
23 (4) The deputy commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance, office of
24health, life, and annuity or his designee.
25 (5) The executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children or his
26designee.
27 (6) The executive director to the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families
28or his designee.
29 (7) The executive director of the Louisiana Managed Medicaid Association or his
30designee.
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1 (8) The executive director of the Louisiana Hospital Association or his designee.
2 (9) The executive director of the Louisiana State Nurses Association or his designee.
3 (10) The director of the Family Connects New Orleans or his designee.
4 (11) The chief nursing officer of Woman's Hospital of Baton Rouge or his designee.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the duties of the task force shall include but not
6be limited to all of the following:
7 (1) Reviewing the current landscape of Family Connects postpartum newborn nurse
8home visiting programs being developed or delivered in this state.
9 (2) Reviewing the current landscape of Medicaid coverage for Family Connects
10postpartum newborn nurse home visiting programs in other states.
11 (3) Reviewing the current landscape of private insurance coverage for Family
12Connects postpartum newborn nurse home visiting programs in other states.
13 (4) Evaluating the impact of existing Family Connects postpartum home visiting
14programs on health outcomes for families served including mothers and infants.
15 (5) Evaluating the estimated per family cost of Family Connects postpartum
16newborn nurse home visiting services in this state.
17 (6) Defining the scope of services provided by Family Connects postpartum
18newborn nurse home visiting programs encompassing both billable and non-billable
19activities.
20 (7) Identifying the most appropriate Medicaid State Plan authority to establish a
21covered benefit for evidence-based postpartum newborn nurse home visiting services.
22 (8) Recommending suitable reimbursement rates and developing a reimbursement
23structure for postpartum newborn nurse home visiting.
24 (9) Identifying or creating provider billing codes and recommending provider
25documentation requirements for Medicaid and private insurance plans.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be empowered to request and
27collect relevant data and information necessary to fulfill its purposes from state agencies,
28Medicaid managed care organizations, and community-based organizations.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may, to the extent feasible, request
30such information and data at no cost.
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1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall incorporate the findings from
2the study of other states' insurance coverage of evidence-based postpartum newborn nurse
3home visiting programs in its comprehensive report of findings and policy recommendations.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Department of Health shall
5provide staff support to the task force to assist with identifying appointees, scheduling task
6force meetings, recording meeting minutes, conducting policy research, and developing the
7draft and final report.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall elect a chair
9at the first meeting of the task force.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the first meeting of the task force meeting shall
11be held by August 31, 2024, and shall meet as frequently as it deems necessary for the timely
12performance of its duties.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a draft report with preliminary recommendations
14shall be generated and reviewed at a meeting of the task force by January 31, 2025, and a
15final report with recommendations shall be generated and approved by the task force by
16February 28, 2025.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force meetings may be conducted in
18person, by telephone, or virtually using a secure web-based platform as authorized by law.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall transmit a final report of the
20task force's findings and policy recommendations to the legislature.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
22director of the Louisiana Medicaid program, the director of the bureau of family health
23within the Louisiana Department of Health, the medical director of the Louisiana Pregnancy-
24Associated Mortality Review within the Louisiana Department of Health, the deputy
25commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance, office of health, life, and annuity,
26the executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, the executive director
27to the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families, the executive director of the
28Louisiana Managed Medicaid Association, the executive director of the Louisiana Hospital
29Association, the executive director of the Louisiana State Nurses Association, the director
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1of the Family Connects New Orleans, the chief nursing officer of Woman's Hospital of
2Baton Rouge.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 113 Original 2024 Regular Session Hilferty
Creates the 11-member Postpartum Newborn Nurse Home Visiting Task Force to study the
benefits and feasibility of providing at home nursing services to recently born babies.
Establishes duties and responsibilities of the task force and requires the task force to report
its findings to the legislature.
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