New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

New Jersey Assembly Bill A4944 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	ASSEMBLY, No. 4944 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 221st LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED OCTOBER 21, 2024
2	2
3	3	ASSEMBLY, No. 4944
4	4
5	5	STATE OF NEW JERSEY
6	6
7	7	221st LEGISLATURE
8	8
9	9
10	10
11	11	INTRODUCED OCTOBER 21, 2024
12	12
13	13
14	14
15	15	Sponsored by: Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT District 29 (Essex and Hudson) SYNOPSIS Requires DHS to conduct public awareness campaign on benefits of doula and midwife services, and educate women on NJ FamilyCare coverage of these services. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.
16	16
17	17
18	18
19	19	Sponsored by:
20	20
21	21	Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
22	22
23	23	District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31
32	32
33	33	SYNOPSIS
34	34
35	35	Requires DHS to conduct public awareness campaign on benefits of doula and midwife services, and educate women on NJ FamilyCare coverage of these services.
36	36
37	37
38	38
39	39	CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
40	40
41	41	As introduced.
42	42
43	43
44	44
45	45	An Act concerning doula and midwife services and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes. Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. a. There is established a public awareness campaign in the Department of Human Services in order to promote among women and birthing persons in the State an understanding of the benefits of the health care and services provided by certified doulas and licensed midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The public awareness campaign shall provide for the development of print and electronic media. b. The public awareness campaign shall include, but shall not be limited to: (1) a comprehensive description of the person-centered care and supportive services provided for birthing persons and infants during the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum periods by doulas and midwives; (2) the culturally competent nature of the care and services available to birthing persons from doulas and midwives; (3) the continuum of well-woman care available across a woman's lifespan from midwives; (4) the health benefits and improved maternal and infant health outcomes resulting from doula and midwife care; and (5) information concerning NJ FamilyCare coverage of doula and midwife services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum enrollees, and coverage of midwife care and services across the lifespan of women enrolled in NJ FamilyCare. c. (1) The Department of Human Services shall provide, in an easily accessible location on its website, information concerning the types of care and services provided by doulas and midwives, the health benefits associated with the care and services furnished by doulas and midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. (2) The department shall additionally make available on its website a directory of doulas and midwives who are approved NJ FamilyCare providers, including information on each of the NJ FamilyCare managed care plans in which each doula and midwife participates. The department, at a minimum, shall update this information annually. d. As used in this section: "Doula" has the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2023, c.286 (C.26:2H-12.6i). "Midwife" means a certified midwife, a certified professional midwife, or a certified nurse midwife pursuant to R.S.45:10-1 et seq. 2. The Department of Human Services shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act. 3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment. STATEMENT The bill requires the Department of Human Services (the DHS) to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform women and birthing persons about the benefits of health care services provided by certified doulas and licensed midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The public awareness campaign will encompass both print and electronic media. The public awareness campaign will include information concerning: (1) the person-centered care and supportive services that doulas and midwives provide for both birthing persons and infants over the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum periods; (2) the culturally competent nature of the care and services available from doulas and midwives; (3) the continuum of well-woman care delivered by midwives; (4) the health benefits and improved maternal and infant health outcomes resulting from doula and midwife care; and (5) the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum enrollees, and coverage for midwife care and services across the lifespan of women enrolled in NJ FamilyCare. Under the bill, the DHS will provide, in an easily accessible location on its website, information concerning the types of care and services furnished by doulas and midwives, the health benefits associated with the doula and midwife care, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The DHS website will also include a directory of doulas and midwives who are approved NJ FamilyCare providers, and information on the NJ FamilyCare managed care plans in which each doula and midwife participates. The DHS, at a minimum, will update the information in the directory annually.
46	46
47	47	An Act concerning doula and midwife services and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
52	52
53	53
54	54
55	55	1. a. There is established a public awareness campaign in the Department of Human Services in order to promote among women and birthing persons in the State an understanding of the benefits of the health care and services provided by certified doulas and licensed midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The public awareness campaign shall provide for the development of print and electronic media.
56	56
57	57	b. The public awareness campaign shall include, but shall not be limited to:
58	58
59	59	(1) a comprehensive description of the person-centered care and supportive services provided for birthing persons and infants during the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum periods by doulas and midwives;
60	60
61	61	(2) the culturally competent nature of the care and services available to birthing persons from doulas and midwives;
62	62
63	63	(3) the continuum of well-woman care available across a woman's lifespan from midwives;
64	64
65	65	(4) the health benefits and improved maternal and infant health outcomes resulting from doula and midwife care; and
66	66
67	67	(5) information concerning NJ FamilyCare coverage of doula and midwife services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum enrollees, and coverage of midwife care and services across the lifespan of women enrolled in NJ FamilyCare.
68	68
69	69	c. (1) The Department of Human Services shall provide, in an easily accessible location on its website, information concerning the types of care and services provided by doulas and midwives, the health benefits associated with the care and services furnished by doulas and midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services.
70	70
71	71	(2) The department shall additionally make available on its website a directory of doulas and midwives who are approved NJ FamilyCare providers, including information on each of the NJ FamilyCare managed care plans in which each doula and midwife participates. The department, at a minimum, shall update this information annually.
72	72
73	73	d. As used in this section:
74	74
75	75	"Doula" has the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2023, c.286 (C.26:2H-12.6i).
76	76
77	77	"Midwife" means a certified midwife, a certified professional midwife, or a certified nurse midwife pursuant to R.S.45:10-1 et seq.
78	78
79	79	2. The Department of Human Services shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
80	80
81	81
82	82
83	83	3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment.
84	84
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88
89	89	STATEMENT
90	90
91	91
92	92
93	93	The bill requires the Department of Human Services (the DHS) to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform women and birthing persons about the benefits of health care services provided by certified doulas and licensed midwives, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The public awareness campaign will encompass both print and electronic media.
94	94
95	95	The public awareness campaign will include information concerning:
96	96
97	97	(1) the person-centered care and supportive services that doulas and midwives provide for both birthing persons and infants over the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum periods;
98	98
99	99	(2) the culturally competent nature of the care and services available from doulas and midwives;
100	100
101	101	(3) the continuum of well-woman care delivered by midwives;
102	102
103	103	(4) the health benefits and improved maternal and infant health outcomes resulting from doula and midwife care; and
104	104
105	105	(5) the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum enrollees, and coverage for midwife care and services across the lifespan of women enrolled in NJ FamilyCare.
106	106
107	107	Under the bill, the DHS will provide, in an easily accessible location on its website, information concerning the types of care and services furnished by doulas and midwives, the health benefits associated with the doula and midwife care, and the availability of NJ FamilyCare coverage for doula and midwife services. The DHS website will also include a directory of doulas and midwives who are approved NJ FamilyCare providers, and information on the NJ FamilyCare managed care plans in which each doula and midwife participates. The DHS, at a minimum, will update the information in the directory annually.