Rep. LaToya Greenwood

Filed: 2/25/2020

 

 


 

 


 
10100HB0004ham002LRB101 04058 KTG 70641 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
5adding Section 5-18.5 as follows:
 
6    (305 ILCS 5/5-18.5 new)
7    Sec. 5-18.5. Doula and evidence-based home visiting
8services.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Cultural sensitivity" means a cultural sensitivity,
11cultural competence, implicit bias, cultural respect, or
12cultural humility course in the context of doula or pregnancy
13care.
14    "Home visiting" means a voluntary, evidence-based strategy
15used to support pregnant people, infants, and young children
16and their caregivers to promote infant, child, and maternal

 

 

10100HB0004ham002- 2 -LRB101 04058 KTG 70641 a

1health, to foster educational development and school
2readiness, and to help prevent child abuse and neglect. Home
3visitors are trained professionals whose visits and activities
4focus on promoting strong parent-child attachment to foster
5healthy child development.
6    "Perinatal doula training" means any doula training that
7focuses on providing support throughout the prenatal, labor and
8delivery, or postpartum period, and reflects the type of doula
9care that the doula seeks to provide.
10    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
11doula services and evidence-based home visiting services shall
12be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who
13are otherwise eligible for medical assistance under this
14Article. As used in this Section, "perinatal doula" means a
15trained provider who provides regular, voluntary physical,
16emotional, and educational support, but not medical or midwife
17care, to pregnant and birthing persons before, during, and
18after childbirth, otherwise known as the perinatal period.
19    Perinatal doula services include regular visits beginning
20in the prenatal period and continuing into the postnatal
21period, inclusive of continuous support during labor and
22delivery, that support healthy pregnancies and positive birth
23outcomes. Perinatal doula services may be embedded in an
24existing program, such as evidence-based home visiting. Doula
25services provided during the prenatal period may be provided
26weekly, services provided during the labor and delivery period

 

 

10100HB0004ham002- 3 -LRB101 04058 KTG 70641 a

1may be provided for the entire duration of labor and the time
2immediately following birth, and services provided during the
3postpartum period may be provided up to 12 months postpartum.
4    (c) To be eligible for reimbursement under this Section,
5the individual providing doula services must have completed
6perinatal doula training that includes topics such as: (1)
7health, safety, and well-being; (2) prenatal and early
8childhood development; (3) cultural sensitivity in the context
9of doula care; (4) family relationships; and (5) community
10partnerships. The individual must be willing to submit to a
11federal and State criminal history background check. If
12certified, the individual must be practicing within the scope
13and ethics of his or her certification.
14    (d) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall
15adopt rules to administer this Section. In this rulemaking, the
16Department shall consider the expertise of and consult with
17doula program experts, doula training providers, practicing
18doulas, and home visiting experts, along with State agencies
19implementing doula services and relevant bodies under the
20Illinois Early Learning Council. This body of experts shall
21inform the Department on the credentials necessary for a doula
22and home visitor to be certified as a Medicaid reimbursable
23service provider, the training programs that are acceptable,
24the length of each perinatal visit, and the rate of
25reimbursement for home visiting and doula services in the
26prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum periods. Every 2

 

 

10100HB0004ham002- 4 -LRB101 04058 KTG 70641 a

1years, the Department shall assess the rates of reimbursement
2for doula and home visiting services and adjust rates
3accordingly.
4    (e) The Department shall seek such State plan amendments or
5waivers as may be necessary to implement this Section and shall
6secure federal financial participation for expenditures made
7by the Department in accordance with this Section.
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
92021.".