Sponsors (6)
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress May 5, 2025
The bill would expand midwifery training, diversify clinical sites, and target care to underserved communities—improving maternal care access and workforce diversity—but does so with limited funding and eligibility rules that may exclude some programs, leave many needs unmet, and create administrative burdens.
Students in accredited midwifery and nurse‑midwifery programs receive direct financial support (grants) to help pay for training and reduce financial barriers to entering the profession.
Pregnant people in Health Professional Shortage Areas (rural and low‑income communities) are likely to have greater access to midwifery care because more midwives will be trained and encouraged to serve shortage areas.
Accredited programs can expand or be established and diversify clinical training sites, increasing overall midwifery training capacity and broadening where students receive hands‑on experience.
Many Americans (students, underserved communities) face limited impact because total authorized funding is modest and may be insufficient to address nationwide midwifery shortages (small annual amounts spread over five years).
Community‑based and some existing midwifery programs risk exclusion because the bill’s eligibility and funding channels (rules around programs housed in or directed through schools of nursing) could either bar nursing‑housed programs or funnel funds away from non‑academic/community training models.
Institutions that must pledge to send graduates to shortage areas could be disqualified or deterred from applying, disadvantaging programs that serve other high‑need populations (e.g., urban underserved) or have different placement models.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates two HHS grant programs to fund midwifery and nurse‑midwifery education, prioritize shortage‑area practice and minority representation, and authorizes $35M for FY2025–FY2029.
Creates two HHS grant programs to grow the midwifery workforce by funding (1) midwifery schools/programs at institutions of higher education and (2) nurse‑midwifery programs at schools of nursing. Grants can pay for student support, program start/expansion, and building more clinical preceptors, with priorities for practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas and for increasing racial and ethnic minority representation. The bill authorizes a total of $35 million over FY2025–FY2029 ($15M for midwifery programs and $20M for nurse‑midwifery at nursing schools) and sets required annual splits of 50% student support, 25% program expansion, and 25% preceptor support.