Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2023” or the “SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023”.
Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2023
A BILL
To improve research and data collection on stillbirths, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Stillbirth research and data collection improvements
Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 317L–1 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) the following:
“317L–2. Stillbirth research and data collection improvements
“(a) Stillbirth surveillance and risk factor studies
“(1) In general—The Secretary may award grants to States for purposes of—
“(A) conducting surveillance and collecting data, including from existing datasets like State or sub-State maternal mortality data and Fetal and Infant Mortality Review data, with respect to stillbirths for public health and research purposes;
“(B) building State and local public health capacity to assess stillbirth data; and
“(C) collecting and reporting data on stillbirth risk factors, including any quantifiable outcomes with respect to such risk factors.
“(2) Condition—As a condition of receipt of funds under this section, all data collected shall be in a manner that protects personal privacy and in a manner that is consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy law, at a minimum.
“(3) Authorization of appropriations—To carry out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
“(b) Guidelines and educational awareness materials
“(1) In general—The Secretary shall—
“(A) issue guidelines to State departments of health and State and local vital statistics units on—
“(i) collecting data on stillbirth from health care providers, and with the consent of the woman who experienced the stillbirth, including any such data with respect to the clinical history, postmortem examination, and placental pathology; and
“(ii) improving processes and training related to stillbirth data collection and reporting to ensure standardization and completeness of data; and
“(B) develop, and make publicly available, educational awareness materials on stillbirths.
“(2) Consultation—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may consult with—
“(A) national health care professional associations;
“(B) national associations representing State and local public health officials;
“(C) organizations that assist families with burial support and bereavement services;
“(D) nurses and nurse practitioners;
“(E) obstetricians and gynecologists;
“(F) pediatricians;
“(G) maternal-fetal medicine specialists;
“(H) nurse midwives and midwives;
“(I) mental health professionals;
“(J) statisticians;
“(K) individuals who have experienced a stillbirth; and
“(L) advocacy organizations representing such individuals.
“(3) Authorization of appropriations—To carry out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
“(c) Vital statistics unit defined—In this section, the term vital statistics unit means the entity that is responsible for maintaining vital records for a State, or a political subdivision of such State, including official records of live births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, divorces, and annulments.”
Sec. 3 Perinatal pathology fellowships
The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 1122 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300c–12) the following:
“1123. Improving perinatal pathology
“(a) In general—The Secretary shall incorporate into an existing training program a Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program, a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship on Factors Associated with Stillbirth Program, or both.
“(b) Activities—Each program incorporated under subsection (a) shall—
“(1) provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology;
“(2) provide practice-based learning opportunities to foster exchange and connection with State efforts concerning fetal death review that are supported under title V of the Social Security Act;
“(3) conduct research on, and improve data collection with respect to, stillbirths, including through fetal autopsies; and
“(4) address challenges in stillbirth education, research, and data collection.
“(c) Authorization of appropriations—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.”
Sec. 4 Reports
Educational guidelines report—
In general— Not later than five years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish on a public website of the Department of Health and Human Services a report with educational guidelines on stillbirth and stillbirth risk factors.
Contents— Such report shall include, to the extent practicable and appropriate, the guidelines issued and educational awareness materials developed under section 317L–2 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2 of this Act.
Progress report— Not later than five years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a comprehensive report on the progress and effectiveness of each program under section 1123 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 3 of this Act.