Guidance to States on encouraging father inclusion and engagement in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum process

(a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue guidance to States that addresses how States can encourage and incentivize providers of maternity care, including hospitals, health care systems, midwifery practices, freestanding birth centers, community health centers, and other maternity care providers, and providers of health care coverage, including managed care entities, to provide training and education to health care practitioners, such as pediatricians, obstetricians, and gynecologists, about the benefits of including and engaging fathers in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum process. (b) Requirements The guidance under subsection (a) shall— (1) include information on how health care practitioners can— (A) offer peer-to-peer, father-to-father encouragement, support, and education in communities that traditionally are not inclusive of fathers; (B) provide fathers with information on— (i) what to expect before, during, and after the birth process; (ii) how to better— (I) understand and support their partner throughout such process; and (II) serve as an advocate in her care; and (iii) recommendations and protocol relating to pregnancy, postpartum, and child care, including— (I) maternal, infant, and routine childhood vaccines; (II) maternal warning signs; (III) the importance of fetal movement counting; (IV) maternal mental health and postpartum recovery; (V) breastfeeding practices; (VI) health care appointments; (VII) safe sleep practices; (VIII) skin-to-skin contact; (IX) baby care, including safe soothing of a crying baby; (X) child bonding; and (XI) early childhood development; and (C) screen fathers for depression and provide referrals for treatment that may positively impact child development and reduce the risk of adverse childhood experiences; (2) address cultural beliefs about fatherhood, a man’s role in maternal health, and families; and (3) reaffirm a father’s ability to play a positive and valuable role during pregnancy, birth, and early childhood development, regardless of race or ethnicity.