Sponsors (52)
Official title: To address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 14, 2026 by Yvette Diane Clarke · Last progress May 14, 2026
The bill directs modest federal funding toward expanding maternal mental health and substance use services, workforce training, and accountability—improving access and equity in underserved areas but with limited scale, recurring costs, administrative burdens, and sustainability risks.
Pregnant and postpartum people—especially those from high‑risk and underserved groups—will gain greater access to integrated maternal mental health and substance use services through new grants, trainings, and referrals.
More trained providers are likely to enter practice and serve Health Professional Shortage Areas and communities with maternal health disparities, improving local access in rural and low‑income areas.
Community-based organizations and clinics in underserved locations are prioritized for funding, increasing availability of local services where need is highest.
The authorized funding levels are modest relative to national need—workforce and program funding may be insufficient to meaningfully scale supply and access nationwide.
Grant-funded services are time-limited and could disappear when grant cycles end, risking loss of continuity for patients served by these programs.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending (authorized roughly $25M/year plus $15M/year in specified programs), creating a fiscal cost that funds must cover.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Establishes HHS grant programs to expand maternal mental/behavioral health services and to grow/diversify the maternal mental health workforce; authorizes $15M/yr for FY2027–FY2031 for workforce grants.
Creates a Maternal Mental Health Equity Grant Program at HHS to fund community-based services and programs addressing maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, prioritizing groups and areas with higher maternal mortality, severe morbidity, and health disparities. Authorizes grant support for integrated services, stigma reduction, provider education, referral networks, and evidence-based addiction treatment referrals. Establishes a new Title VII grant program to grow and diversify the maternal mental and behavioral health workforce, including funding for new/expanded training programs, scholarships, and technical assistance, with reporting requirements and $15 million authorized annually for FY2027–FY2031.