S. 1599: Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act of 2025 (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill, known as the Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act of 2025, aims to tackle the current shortages in maternity care and promote better outcomes for mothers and babies by enhancing the education and training of midwives. Below is a summary of the major provisions outlined in the bill.

Midwifery Education Support

The bill proposes that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services can provide grants to higher education institutions for several purposes including:

Direct financial support for students enrolled in accredited midwifery programs.
Establishment or expansion of accredited midwifery schools and programs.
Increasing the number of qualified trainers, or preceptors, available to guide midwifery students.

In awarding these grants, the Secretary is instructed to prioritize schools that focus on training students who intend to work in healthcare shortage areas or aim to increase diversity in the midwifery workforce.

Midwifery Program Definitions

The bill will amend existing definitions related to midwifery education in the Public Health Service Act to formally include midwifery schools and associated programs, ensuring they receive appropriate recognition and support within the healthcare education framework.

Nurse-Midwife Education Enhancement

In additional proposals, the Secretary is authorized to award grants to nursing schools for similar supports as those provided to midwifery programs. These grants are intended for:

Financial assistance for students in accredited nurse-midwifery programs.
Development of new or existing nurse-midwifery programs.
To provide support for training sites to increase the number of available clinical instructors for nurse-midwifery students.

As with midwifery programs, grants for nursing schools will prioritize those targeting students interested in serving in underserved areas or those enhancing minority representation in the field.

Funding Allocation

For implementing the provisions of the bill:

A total of $15 million is authorized for midwifery-related grants over the fiscal years 2025 to 2029.
A total of $20 million is authorized for nursing-related grants over the same period.

The funding will be allocated among various support activities specified in the bill, with a specific percentage directed toward supporting student assistance, establishing/expanding programs, and increasing the number of preceptors.

Overall Goal

The overarching objective of this bill is to enhance the number and quality of trained midwives and nurse-midwives in the United States, addressing gaps in maternity care and improving health outcomes in maternal health.