# The NEWBORN Act: What It Does

This bill creates a new federal grant program to help reduce infant mortality in American communities where babies die at higher rates than the national average. The government would set aside $10 million per year for five years to fund pilot programs in the areas with the worst infant mortality problems.

The money would go to local health departments and tribal health organizations to create programs that help pregnant women and new mothers stay healthy. These programs could include things like counseling on how to care for a newborn, help with smoking cessation or drug treatment, nutrition advice, postpartum depression screening, and education about preventing premature births. The bill also allows funding for public awareness campaigns to teach communities about infant mortality and what causes it. Programs can also reach out specifically to mothers in rural areas who might have trouble accessing healthcare.

The bill prioritizes funding for the 50 counties or county groups with the highest infant mortality rates in the country, though other areas could also apply. Each grant would last up to five years, and the organizations receiving money would have to report back to the federal government annually about what they're doing and whether it's working. The bill limits how much of the grant money can be spent on evaluation and paperwork—no more than 10 percent—so most of the funding actually goes toward helping mothers and babies.

Essentially, this is a targeted effort to address a real problem: infant mortality rates vary dramatically across the country, and this bill aims to give communities with the worst outcomes the resources to develop solutions tailored to their specific needs.

NEWBORN Act

Cohen, Steve

Nationally Enhancing the Well-being of Babies through Outreach and Research Now Act or the NEWBORN Act This bill establishes a pilot program through which the Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to territorial, tribal, state, and local health departments in areas with the highest rates of infant mortality to address birth defects, premature births, and other leading causes of infant death. Funds may be used for needs assessments, outreach, and systems to improve social, educational, and clinical services, including prenatal counseling and postpartum care.