Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
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1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/7/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1869
4
5 By: Representative L. Johnson
6 By: Senator Irvin
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES MANAGEMENT
10 SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO ORGANIZE
11 MATERNAL HEALTH RESOURCES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES
16 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT
17 OF HEALTH; AND TO ORGANIZE MATERNAL
18 HEALTH RESOURCES.
19
20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
21
22 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 16, is amended to add an
23 additional subchapter to read as follows:
24 Subchapter 26 -- Maternal Outcomes Management System
25
26 20-16-2601. Legislative intent.
27 It is the intent of this subchapter to establish a comprehensive
28 statewide system of care addressing maternal health by organizing resources,
29 educating providers and patients, incentivizing best practices, and
30 collecting critical data to drive improvement.
31
32 20-16-2602. Maternal Outcomes Management System.
33 (a) The Department of Health shall create a comprehensive statewide
34 system of care addressing maternal health to be called the "Maternal Outcomes
35 Management System".
36 (b) The Maternal Outcomes Management System shall without limitation:
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1 (1)(A) Research and organize maternal health resources.
2 (B) The Department of Health, in conjunction with other
3 state agencies as appropriate, shall maintain on the website of the
4 Department of Health resources pertaining to maternal health including
5 without limitation information regarding:
6 (i) Enrollment in the Arkansas Medicaid Program;
7 (ii) Lactation education;
8 (iii) Provider access;
9 (iv) Transportation resources;
10 (v) Maternal health education; and
11 (vi) Local community support services;
12 (2) Provide education to patients and clinicians regarding
13 maternal health issues;
14 (3) Incentivize best practices for maternal health through the
15 grant program described in � 20-16-2603;
16 (4) In conjunction with the Arkansas Hospital Association, the
17 Department of Human Services, and the Department of Health, collect data
18 concerning maternal health from birthing and delivery hospitals to promote
19 best practices and to identify opportunities for improvement in maternal
20 health care;
21 (5) Develop a platform for structured peer review; and
22 (6) Coordinate care through the continuum of services needed to
23 ensure the best maternal health outcomes.
24 (c) The activities of the Maternal Outcomes Management System under
25 this section and the additional requirements under this subchapter are
26 contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funding.
27
28 20-16-2603. Grants for birthing and delivery hospitals -- Designation
29 system.
30 (a)(1) As part of the Maternal Outcomes Management System, the
31 Department of Health shall establish a grant program for birthing and
32 delivery hospitals that includes a designation system for birthing and
33 delivery hospitals based on the individual hospital's capability to provide
34 clinical care for pregnant women.
35 (2) The department shall:
36 (A) Accept applications from birthing and delivery
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1 hospitals to participate in the grant program under subdivision (a)(1) of
2 this section;
3 (B) Determine conditions for designation in the grant
4 program under subdivision (a)(1) of this section; and
5 (C) Set the time frame for review and renewal of the
6 applications under subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section.
7 (3) The designation system for birthing and delivery hospitals
8 described in subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall:
9 (A) Be in accordance with the levels of maternal care from
10 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as existing on
11 January 1, 2025; and
12 (B) Evaluate the capabilities of a hospital to deliver
13 high-quality maternity care and ensure that all mothers receive the
14 appropriate level of care.
15 (4) The birthing and delivery hospitals under subdivision (a)(1)
16 of this section shall be organized into the appropriate hospital regions to
17 meet regularly as determined by the department to discuss maternal health
18 data and to provide a forum for regional peer review and performance feedback
19 to and from the department and the birthing and delivery hospitals.
20 (b) To qualify for a grant under the grant program established under
21 subsection (a) of this section, a birthing and delivery hospital shall meet
22 requirements set by the department including without limitation:
23 (1) Community outreach and education;
24 (2) Clinician education on maternal health;
25 (3) Peer review of all birthing and delivery complications;
26 (4) Participation in regional meetings of birthing and delivery
27 hospitals;
28 (5) An on-site maternal health coordinator;
29 (6) Local site visits from inspectors of the department; and
30 (7) Achievement of certain clinical metrics consistent with
31 evidence-based practices proven to improve maternal health outcomes.
32 (c) A grant under this section shall be distributed in a manner that
33 provides the greatest financial support to birthing and delivery hospitals
34 with the fewest resources.
35 (d) The department may promulgate rules to implement this section.
36
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1 20-16-2604. MOMS Care Connect -- Coordinating call center.
2 The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be called the
3 "MOMS Care Connect" to operate in conjunction with the Arkansas Trauma Call
4 Center and to coordinate transfers of pregnant women between hospitals to
5 ensure an appropriate level of care is provided.
6
7 20-16-2605. Postpartum Support Hotline -- Post-delivery call center.
8 (a)(1) The Department of Health shall establish a call center to be
9 called the "Postpartum Support Hotline" to proactively reach out to mothers
10 post-delivery.
11 (2) The call center established in this section shall be
12 separate from MOMS Care Connect established under � 20-16-2604.
13 (3) The department may partner with another state entity or an
14 institution of higher education to establish the call center established in
15 this section.
16 (b) The call center under this section shall screen mothers through a
17 standardized questionnaire developed by the department to determine which
18 mothers need follow-up information, including without limitation information
19 regarding:
20 (1) The mental well-being of the mother;
21 (2) Access to follow-up healthcare;
22 (3) Lactation or feeding concerns;
23 (4) Healthy sleep for infants; and
24 (5) Screening for certain medical conditions.
25 (c) The call center under this section shall provide connections
26 directly to resources to support mothers identified as needing follow-up
27 information.
28
29 /s/L. Johnson
30
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4 04-07-2025 10:25:54 JMB578Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.