Fatherhood Engagement in Maternal Health Act; create.

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To: Public Health and Human
Services; Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Summers, Porter

HOUSE BILL NO. 1484

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT IN MATERNAL 1
HEALTH ACT"; TO MAKE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS THAT FATHERHOOD 2
ENGAGEMENT CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN IMPROVING MATERNAL HEALTH 3
CARE, ADDRESSING MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY AND BETTERING 4
THE DEVELOPMENT AND LONG-TERM GROWTH OF A CHILD; TO DIRECT THE 5
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 6
TO INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING OF FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT IN 7
IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES DURING PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH AND 8
POSTPARTUM FOR BOTH THE MOTHER AND BABY; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT 9
TO POST MATERIALS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET 10
WEBSITE THAT ADDRESS HOW A PROVIDER OF MATERNITY CARE, INCLUDING A 11
HOSPITAL, HEALTH CARE FACILITY, BIRTH CENTER, OR HEALTH CARE 12
PRACTITIONER CAN PROVIDE TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO A HEALTH CARE 13
PRACTITIONER ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT IN 14
IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES DURING PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH AND 15
POSTPARTUM FOR BOTH THE MOTHER AND BABY; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT 16
TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE INCLUSION OF PATERNAL DEPRESSION 17
SCREENING BY PROVIDERS OF MATERNITY CARE AS PART OF CARE PROVIDED 18
DURING PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH AND POSTPARTUM FOR BOTH THE MOTHER 19
AND BABY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 20
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 21
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 22
"Fatherhood Engagement in Maternal Health Act." 23
SECTION 2. Declaration of purpose. The Legislature finds 24
and declares as follows: 25
(a) Fatherhood engagement can play an important role in 26
improving maternal health care, addressing maternal mortality and 27
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morbidity and bettering the development and long-term growth of a 28
child. 29
(b) The participation of the father during prenatal 30
care appointments can provide the mother with additional support 31
to recognize potential pregnancy-related complications that could 32
lead to maternal mortality and morbidity. 33
(c) Fatherhood engagement can reduce the risks of 34
postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and contributes to a lower 35
likelihood of a preterm birth and a higher likelihood of a 36
healthier birth weight. 37
(d) Active support of the father during breastfeeding 38
can increase the chances of successful breastfeeding, which 39
improves the physical and mental health of the baby and the 40
mother. 41
(e) Physical contact between the father and the baby 42
just after birth and in the months following birth has been shown 43
to improve the health and development of the baby, improve the 44
mental health of the father and foster father-child bonding in the 45
short term and long term. 46
SECTION 3. Public awareness campaign on fatherhood 47
engagement in maternal health. (1) Duties. Subject to funding 48
being available, no later than two (2) years after the effective 49
date of this act, the State Department of Health shall conduct a 50
public awareness campaign to increase the understanding of 51
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fatherhood engagement in improving overall health outcomes during 52
pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum for both the mother and baby. 53
(2) Contents. The department shall ensure that the public 54
awareness campaign under subsection (1) of this section includes 55
the following: 56
(a) Messaging intended to provide information to the 57
public about the importance of a father's role in pregnancy and 58
parenting. 59
(b) Resources and information that promote awareness 60
about the impact of father inclusion on maternal and infant 61
outcomes. 62
SECTION 4. Guidance to maternal care providers on 63
encouraging fatherhood engagement in maternal health. (1) Duties 64
of department. No later than one (1) year after the effective 65
date of this act, the department shall post materials on the 66
department's publicly accessible Internet website that address how 67
a provider of maternity care, including a hospital, health care 68
facility, birth center, or health care practitioner can provide 69
training and education to a health care practitioner about the 70
benefits of fatherhood engagement in improving overall health 71
outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum for both the 72
mother and baby. 73
(2) Screening for paternal depression. The department shall 74
encourage and promote the inclusion of paternal depression 75
screening by providers of maternity care as part of care provided 76
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ST: Fatherhood Engagement in Maternal Health
Act; create.
during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum for both the mother 77
and baby. 78
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from 79
and after July 1, 2026. 80