Text of NC S 906 (2026)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S D SENATE BILL DRS45463-MGa-164 Short Title: MOMnibus 3.5. (Public) Sponsors: Senators Murdock, Robinson, and Batch (Primary Sponsors). Referred to: *DRS45463-MGa-164* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT TO ENACT THE NORTH CAROLINA MOMNIBUS ACT. 2 Whereas, every person should be entitled to dignity and respect during and after 3 pregnancy and childbirth, and patients should receive the best care possible regardless of age, 4 race, ethnicity, color, religion, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, 5 marital status, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, 6 citizenship, nationality, immigration status, primary language, or language proficiency; and 7 Whereas, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed 8 world, where about 700 women die each year from childbirth and another 50,000 suffer from 9 severe complications; and 10 Whereas, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the 11 majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; and 12 Whereas, pregnancy-related deaths among black birthing people are also more likely 13 to be miscoded; and 14 Whereas, access to prenatal care, socioeconomic status, and general physical health 15 do not fully explain the disparity seen in maternal mortality and morbidity rates among black 16 individuals, and there is a growing body of evidence that black people are often treated unfairly 17 and unequally in the health care system; and 18 Whereas, implicit bias is a key driver of health disparities in communities of color; 19 and 20 Whereas, health care providers in North Carolina are not required to undergo any 21 implicit bias testing or training; and 22 Whereas, currently there does not exist any system to track the number of incidents 23 where implicit prejudice and implicit stereotypes led to negative birth and maternal health 24 outcomes; and 25 Whereas, it is in the interest of this State to reduce the effects of implicit bias in 26 pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care so that all people are treated with dignity and respect 27 by their health care providers; Now, therefore, 28 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 29 30 PART I. SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS 31 32 ESTABLISHMENT OF MATERNAL CARE ACCESS GRANT PROGRAM 33 SECTION 1.1.(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 34 (1) Culturally respectful congruent. – Sensitive to and respectful of the preferred 35 cultural values, beliefs, world view, and practices of the patient, and aware 36 FILED SENATE Apr 29, 2026 S.B. 906 PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 2 DRS45463-MGa-164 that cultural differences between patients and health care providers or other 1 service providers must be proactively addressed to ensure that patients receive 2 equitable, high-quality services that meet their needs. 3 (2) Department. – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human 4 Services. 5 (3) Postpartum. – The one-year period beginning on the last day of a woman's 6 pregnancy. 7 SECTION 1.1.(b) Establishment of Grant Program. – The Department shall 8 establish and administer a Maternal Care Access Grant Program to award competitive grants to 9 eligible entities to establish or expand programs for the prevention of maternal mortality and 10 severe maternal morbidity among black women. The Department shall establish eligibility 11 requirements for program participation which shall, at a minimum, require that applicants be 12 community-based organizations offering programs and resources aligned with evidence-based 13 practices for improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 14 SECTION 1.1.(c) Outreach and Application Assistance. – Beginning July 1, 2026, 15 the Department shall (i) conduct outreach to encourage eligible applicants to apply for grants 16 under this program and (ii) provide application assistance to eligible applicants on best practices 17 for applying for grants under this program. In conducting the outreach required by this section, 18 the Department shall give special consideration to eligible applicants that meet the following 19 criteria: 20 (1) Are based in, and provide support for, communities with high rates of adverse 21 maternal health outcomes and significant racial and ethnic disparities in 22 maternal health outcomes. 23 (2) Are led by black women. 24 (3) Offer programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based practices 25 for improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 26 SECTION 1.1.(d) Grant Awards. – In awarding grants under this section, the 27 Department shall, to the extent possible, award grants to recipients to reflect different areas of 28 the State. The Department shall not award a single grant for less than ten thousand dollars 29 ($10,000) or more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per grant recipient. In selecting grant 30 recipients, the Department shall give special consideration to eligible applicants that meet all of 31 the following criteria: 32 (1) Meet all of the criteria specified in subdivisions (1) through (3) of subsection 33 (c) of this section. 34 (2) Offer programs and resources designed in consultation with and intended for 35 black women. 36 (3) Offer programs and resources in the communities in which they are located 37 that include any of the following activities: 38 a. Promoting maternal mental health and maternal substance use disorder 39 treatments that are aligned with evidence-based practices for 40 improving maternal mental health outcomes for black women. 41 b. Addressing social determinants of health for women in the prenatal 42 and postpartum periods, including, but not limited to, any of the 43 following: 44 1. Inadequate housing. 45 2. Transportation barriers. 46 3. Poor nutrition and a lack of access to healthy foods. 47 4. Need for lactation support. 48 5. Need for lead abatement and other efforts to improve air and 49 water quality. 50 6. Lack of access to child care. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 DRS45463-MGa-164 Page 3 7. Need for baby supplies such as diapers, formula, clothing, baby 1 and child equipment, and safe car seat installation. 2 8. Need for wellness and stress management programs. 3 9. Education about maternal health and well-being. 4 10. Need for coordination across safety net and social support 5 services and programs. 6 11. Barriers to employment. 7 c. Promoting evidence-based health literacy and pregnancy, childbirth, 8 and parenting education for women in the prenatal and postpartum 9 periods, including group-based programs and peer support groups. 10 d. Providing individually tailored support from doulas and other perinatal 11 health workers to women from pregnancy through the postpartum 12 period. 13 e. Providing culturally respectful congruent training to perinatal health 14 workers such as doulas, community health workers, peer supporters, 15 certified lactation consultants, nutritionists and dietitians, social 16 workers, home visitors, and navigators. 17 f. Conducting or supporting research on issues affecting black maternal 18 health. 19 g. Developing other programs and resources that address 20 community-specific needs for women in the prenatal and postpartum 21 periods and are aligned with evidence-based practices for improving 22 maternal health outcomes for black women. 23 SECTION 1.1.(e) Technical Assistance to Grant Recipients. – The Department shall 24 provide technical assistance to grant recipients regarding all of the following: 25 (1) Capacity building to establish or expand programs to prevent adverse maternal 26 health outcomes among black women. 27 (2) Best practices in data collection, measurement, evaluation, and reporting. 28 (3) Planning centered around sustaining programs implemented with grant funds 29 to prevent maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among black 30 women when the grant funds have been expended. 31 SECTION 1.1.(f) Reports. – The Department shall submit the following reports on 32 the grant program authorized by this section to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on 33 Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division: 34 (1) A report by October 1, 2027, that includes at least all of the following 35 components: 36 a. A detailed report on funds expended for the program for the 2026-2027 37 fiscal year. 38 b. An assessment of the effectiveness of outreach efforts by the 39 Department during the application process in diversifying the pool of 40 grant recipients. 41 c. Recommendations for future outreach efforts to diversify the pool of 42 grant recipients for this program and other related grant programs, as 43 well as for funding opportunities related to the social determinants of 44 maternal health. 45 (2) A report by October 1, 2028, that includes at least all of the following 46 components: 47 a. A detailed report on funds expended for the program for the 2027-2028 48 fiscal year. 49 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 4 DRS45463-MGa-164 b. An assessment of the effectiveness of programs funded by grants 1 awarded under this section in improving maternal health outcomes for 2 black women. 3 c. Recommendations for future grant programs to be administered by the 4 Department and for future funding opportunities for community-based 5 organizations to improve maternal health outcomes for black women 6 through programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based 7 practices for improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 8 9 APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT PART I 10 SECTION 1.2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 11 of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of five million dollars 12 ($5,000,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be used and allocated 13 as follows: 14 (1) Ninety-three thousand five hundred thirteen dollars ($93,513) to establish a 15 full-time, permanent Public Health Program Coordinator IV position within 16 the Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to performing the 17 following duties: 18 a. Providing application assistance to Maternal Care Access Grant 19 Program applicants. 20 b. Providing technical assistance to Maternal Care Access Grant Program 21 recipients. 22 c. Preparing the reports due under Section 1.1(f) of this Part. 23 (2) Four million nine hundred six thousand four hundred eighty-seven dollars 24 ($4,906,487) to be allocated to the Maternal Care Access Grant Program 25 authorized by Section 1.1 of this Part. The Department of Health and Human 26 Services may use up to one percent (1%) of these funds for administrative 27 purposes related to the grant program. The balance of these funds shall be used 28 to operate the grant program. 29 SECTION 1.2.(b) The Department of Health and Human Services is authorized to 30 hire one full-time, permanent Public Health Program Coordinator IV position to perform the 31 duties described in subsection (a) of this section. 32 SECTION 1.3. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2026. 33 34 PART II. IMPLICIT BIAS IN HEALTH CARE 35 SECTION 2.1.(a) Part 5 of Article 1B of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is 36 amended by adding two new sections to read: 37 "§ 130A-33.62. Department to establish implicit bias training program for health care 38 professionals engaged in perinatal care. 39 (a) The following definitions apply in this section: 40 (1) Health care professional. – A licensed physician or other health care provider 41 licensed, registered, accredited, or certified to perform perinatal care and 42 regulated under the authority of a health care professional licensing authority. 43 (2) Health care professional licensing authority. – The Department of Health and 44 Human Services or an agency, board, council, or committee with the authority 45 to impose training or education requirements or licensure fees as a condition 46 of practicing in this State as a health care professional. 47 (3) Implicit bias. – A bias in judgment or behavior that results from subtle 48 cognitive processes, including implicit prejudice and implicit stereotypes, that 49 often operate at a level below conscious awareness and without intentional 50 control. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 DRS45463-MGa-164 Page 5 (4) Implicit prejudice. – Prejudicial negative feelings or beliefs about a group that 1 a person holds without being aware of them. 2 (5) Implicit stereotypes. – The unconscious attributions of particular qualities to 3 a member of a certain social group that are influenced by experience and based 4 on learned associations between various qualities and social categories, 5 including race and gender. 6 (6) Perinatal care. – The provision of care during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and 7 postpartum and neonatal periods. 8 (7) Perinatal facility. – A hospital, clinic, or birthing center that provides perinatal 9 care in this State. 10 (b) The Department, in collaboration with (i) community-based organizations led by 11 black women that serve primarily black birthing people and (ii) a historically black college or 12 university or other institution that primarily serves minority populations, shall create or identify 13 an evidence-based implicit bias training program for health care professionals involved in 14 perinatal care. The implicit bias training program shall include, at a minimum, all of the following 15 components: 16 (1) Identification of previous or current unconscious biases and misinformation. 17 (2) Identification of personal, interpersonal, institutional, structural, and cultural 18 barriers to inclusion. 19 (3) Corrective measures to decrease implicit bias at the interpersonal and 20 institutional levels, including ongoing policies and practices for that purpose. 21 (4) Information about the effects of implicit bias, including, but not limited to, 22 ongoing personal effects of racism and the historical and contemporary 23 exclusion and oppression of minority communities. 24 (5) Information about cultural identity across racial or ethnic groups. 25 (6) Information about how to communicate more effectively across identities, 26 including racial, ethnic, religious, and gender identities. 27 (7) Information about power dynamics and organizational decision making. 28 (8) Trauma-informed care best practices and an emphasis on shared decision 29 making between providers and patients. 30 (9) Information about health inequities within the perinatal care field, including 31 information on how implicit bias impacts maternal and infant health 32 outcomes. 33 (10) Perspectives of diverse, local constituency groups and experts on particular 34 racial, identity, cultural, and provider-community relations issues in the 35 community. 36 (11) Information about socioeconomic bias. 37 (12) Information about reproductive justice. 38 (c) Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 90 or Chapter 93B of the General Statutes, 39 or any other provision of law to the contrary, all health care professionals are required to complete 40 the implicit bias training program established under this section as follows: 41 (1) Health care professionals who hold a current license, registration, 42 accreditation, or certification on December 31, 2026, shall complete the 43 training program no later than December 31, 2027. 44 (2) Health care professionals issued an initial license, registration, accreditation, 45 or certification on or after January 1, 2027, shall complete the training 46 program no later than one year after the date of issuance. 47 A health care professional licensing authority shall not renew the license, registration, 48 accreditation, or certification of a health care professional unless the health care professional 49 provides proof of completion of the training program established under this section within the 50 24-month period leading up to the date of the renewal application. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 6 DRS45463-MGa-164 (d) The Department is encouraged to seek opportunities to make the implicit bias training 1 program established under this section available to all health care professionals and to promote 2 its use among the following groups: 3 (1) All maternity care providers and any employees who interact with pregnant 4 and postpartum individuals in the provider setting, including front desk 5 employees, sonographers, schedulers, health system-employed lactation 6 consultants, hospital or health system administrators, security staff, and other 7 employees. 8 (2) Undergraduate programs that funnel into health professions schools. 9 (3) Providers of the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, 10 and children under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. 11 (4) Obstetric emergency simulation trainings or related trainings. 12 (5) Emergency department employees, emergency medical technicians, and other 13 specialized health care providers who interact with pregnant and postpartum 14 individuals. 15 (e) The Department shall collect the following information for the purpose of informing 16 ongoing improvements to the implicit bias training program: 17 (1) Data on the causes of maternal mortality. 18 (2) Rates of maternal mortality, including rates distinguished by age, race, 19 ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location within this State. 20 (3) Other factors the Department deems relevant for assessing and improving the 21 implicit bias training program. 22 "§ 130A-33.63. Rights of perinatal care patients. 23 (a) A patient receiving care at a perinatal care facility, defined as a hospital, clinic, or 24 birthing center that provides perinatal care in this State, has the following rights: 25 (1) To be informed of continuing health care requirements following discharge. 26 (2) To be informed that, if the patient so authorizes, and to the extent permitted 27 by law, the hospital or health care facility may provide to a friend or family 28 member information about the patient's continuing health care requirements 29 following discharge. 30 (3) To actively participate in decisions regarding the patient's medical care and 31 the right to refuse treatment. 32 (4) To receive appropriate pain assessment and treatment. 33 (5) To receive care and treatment free from discrimination on the basis of age, 34 race, ethnicity, color, religion, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic 35 information, marital status, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual 36 orientation, socioeconomic status, citizenship, nationality, immigration status, 37 primary language, or language proficiency. 38 (6) To receive information on how to file a complaint with the Division of Health 39 Service Regulation or the Human Rights Commission or both about any 40 violation of these rights. 41 (b) Each perinatal care facility shall provide to each perinatal care patient upon admission 42 to the facility, or as soon as reasonably practical following admission to the facility, a written 43 copy of the rights enumerated in subsection (a) of this section. The facility may provide this 44 information to the patient by electronic means, and it may be provided with other notices 45 regarding patient rights." 46 SECTION 2.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 47 of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of two million five hundred 48 thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to 49 establish and administer the implicit bias training program for health care professionals engaged 50 in perinatal care authorized by G.S. 130A-33.62, as enacted by this act. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 DRS45463-MGa-164 Page 7 SECTION 2.2. Section 2.1(a) of this Part becomes effective October 1, 2026. 1 Section 2.1(b) of this Part becomes effective July 1, 2026. 2 3 PART III. SUPPORTING AND DIVERSIFYING TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR 4 LACTATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS 5 SECTION 3.1.(a) The following definitions apply in this section: 6 (1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs. – Institutions of 7 higher education that were founded to educate black citizens who were 8 historically restricted from attending predominantly white institutions of 9 higher education. 10 (2) Lactation support professionals. – Includes lactation consultants, counselors, 11 peer counselors, and educators trained in breast feeding or chest feeding 12 practices, lactation care, and lactation services. 13 (3) Lactation services. – The clinical application of scientific principles and a 14 multidisciplinary body of evidence for evaluation, problem identification, 15 treatment, education, and consultation to childbearing families regarding 16 lactation care and services. 17 (4) Maternity care services. – Health care related to an individual's pregnancy, 18 childbirth, or postpartum recovery. 19 SECTION 3.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of 20 Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) in 21 nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year for the purposes of recruiting, training, and 22 retaining a diverse workforce of lactation support professionals in North Carolina by supporting 23 the infrastructure and sustainability of training programs for lactation support professionals at 24 Historically Black Colleges and Universities located within the State. These funds shall be 25 distributed equally among Bennett College, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith 26 University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and North Carolina 27 Central University to cover costs incurred by each university for administering a training program 28 for lactation support professionals, including, but not limited to: 29 (1) Leasing or other costs for teaching facilities or approved clinical training sites. 30 (2) Student aid or scholarships. 31 (3) Compensation for teachers and preceptors of training programs for lactation 32 support professionals. 33 SECTION 3.1.(c) The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide 34 technical assistance to Bennett College, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith 35 University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and North Carolina 36 Central University with respect to the following: 37 (1) Developing culturally appropriate content for State-funded training programs 38 for lactation support professionals. 39 (2) Recruiting persons from historically marginalized populations to enroll in 40 training programs for lactation support professionals offered at these 41 universities. 42 (3) Recruiting historically underutilized providers to serve as teachers and 43 preceptors in the training programs for lactation support professionals offered 44 at these universities. 45 (4) Identifying rural and medically underserved areas of the State experiencing a 46 shortage of lactation support professionals in order to recruit program 47 graduates to work in these areas. 48 SECTION 3.1.(d) By May 1, 2029, the Department of Health and Human Services 49 shall evaluate and submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and 50 Human Services and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the benefits 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 8 DRS45463-MGa-164 received by the State as a result of funding training programs for lactation support professionals 1 at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and Johnson C. Smith University. 2 The report shall include at least all of the following information and recommendations: 3 (1) The total number of lactation support professionals who received training at 4 one of the State-funded HBCU lactation programs, broken down by (i) race 5 and ethnicity and (ii) chosen work site, such as hospital, provider office, or 6 community-based organization. 7 (2) A review of the prenatal and postpartum experiences of patients who received 8 lactation services from a health care professional who graduated from one of 9 the State-funded HBCU training programs for lactation support professionals. 10 The review shall address patients' experiences relative to the following: 11 a. Health insurance coverage for maternity care services, including 12 telehealth lactation support services. 13 b. Contributing factors to population-based disparities in breast feeding 14 and chest feeding outcomes, including bias and discrimination toward 15 patients who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups. 16 c. Patient satisfaction with the services received from these lactation 17 support professionals. 18 d. Breast feeding or chest feeding initiation and duration rates of patients 19 who received lactation services from these lactation support 20 professionals. 21 SECTION 3.2. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2026. 22 23 PART IV. PERINATAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM 24 SECTION 4.1.(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 25 (1) Department. – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human 26 Services. 27 (2) Perinatal education program. – A program that operates for the primary 28 purpose of educating pregnant women and their families about healthy 29 pregnancy, preparation for labor and birth, breast feeding, newborn care, or 30 any combination of these. 31 SECTION 4.1.(b) Establishment of Grant Program. – The Department shall 32 establish and administer a Perinatal Education Grant Program to award competitive grants to 33 eligible entities to establish or expand perinatal education programs in rural, underserved, or 34 low-wealth areas of the State. The Department shall establish eligibility requirements for 35 program participation which shall, at a minimum, require that applicants be community-based 36 organizations that offer perinatal education and resources aligned with evidence-based practices 37 for improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 38 SECTION 4.1.(c) Outreach and Application Assistance. – Beginning September 1, 39 2026, the Department shall (i) conduct outreach to encourage eligible applicants to apply for 40 grants under this program and (ii) provide application assistance to eligible applicants on best 41 practices for applying for grants under this program. In conducting the outreach required by this 42 section, the Department shall give special consideration to eligible applicants that meet the 43 following criteria: 44 (1) Are based in, and provide support for, communities with high rates of adverse 45 maternal health outcomes and significant racial and ethnic disparities in 46 maternal health outcomes. 47 (2) Are led by black women. 48 (3) Offer programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based practices 49 for improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 DRS45463-MGa-164 Page 9 SECTION 4.1.(d) Grant Awards. – In awarding grants under this section, to the 1 extent possible, the grant recipients shall reflect different areas of the State. The Department shall 2 not award a single grant for less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more than fifty thousand 3 dollars ($50,000) per grant recipient. 4 SECTION 4.1.(e) Termination of Grant Program. – The Perinatal Grant Program 5 authorized by this section expires on June 30, 2028. 6 SECTION 4.1.(f) Report. – By October 1, 2029, the Department shall submit a report 7 to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal 8 Research Division that includes at least all of the following components: 9 (1) A detailed report on funds expended for the program for the 2026-2027 fiscal 10 year. 11 (2) An assessment of the effectiveness of programs funded by grants awarded 12 under this section in improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 13 (3) Recommendations for future grant programs to be administered by the 14 Department and for future funding opportunities for community-based 15 organizations to improve maternal health outcomes for black women through 16 programs and resources that are aligned with evidence-based practices for 17 improving maternal health outcomes for black women. 18 SECTION 4.1.(g) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 19 of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of three million dollars 20 ($3,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund the Perinatal Education 21 Grant Program authorized by this section. The Department of Health and Human Services may 22 use up to five percent (5%) of the funds allocated for this grant program for administrative 23 purposes related to establishment and administration of the Perinatal Education Grant Program. 24 SECTION 4.2. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2026. 25 26 PART V. MOMNI-BUS INITIATIVE 27 SECTION 5.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 28 Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health (DPH), the sum of six million five 29 hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to 30 create a Momni-Bus Initiative. The purpose of the Momni-Bus Initiative is to fund efforts to 31 expand access to maternal and infant health care and parenting programs, supports, and services 32 to families residing in geographic areas of the State where there is limited or no access to 33 maternity care services, including obstetric providers, a hospital or birth center, prenatal care, or 34 postpartum care. As part of this initiative, the Department shall allocate and use the funds 35 appropriated by this section as follows: 36 (1) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to provide a directed 37 grant to the March of Dimes, Inc., a nonprofit corporation in North Carolina, 38 to support its work toward ending preventable maternal health risks and 39 deaths, ending preventable preterm birth and infant death, and closing the 40 health equity gap. 41 (2) Five million dollars ($5,000,000) to award directed grants on a competitive 42 basis to nonprofit, community-based, and faith-based organizations that offer 43 programs, supports, and services aligned with evidence-based practices for a 44 healthy pregnancy through the postpartum period, infant health and care, and 45 parenting programs, supports, and services. The DPH shall establish an 46 application process and eligibility criteria for awarding the grants authorized 47 under this subdivision. By October 1, 2028, and October 1, 2029, the DPH 48 shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health 49 and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division on grants awarded 50 under this subdivision. The report shall include at least all of the following: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 10 DRS45463-MGa-164 a. The identity and a brief description of the community health activities 1 performed by each grantee. 2 b. The amount of funding awarded to each grantee. 3 c. The number of persons served by each grantee. 4 SECTION 5.2. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2026. 5 6 PART VI. EFFECTIVE DATE 7 SECTION 6.1. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 8 law. 9