Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025
The Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act of 2025 (Midwives for MOMS Act) would create new federal grant programs to expand midwifery education and training in the United States. It adds a new Midwifery Schools and Programs program within the Public Health Service Act to fund higher education institutions for direct support of midwifery students, creation or expansion of midwifery programs, and increasing the number of trained preceptors (mentors/clinical supervisors). It also creates a Nurse-Midwifery Expansion Program within Title VIII to fund schools of nursing for direct support of nurse-midwifery students, program expansion, and more preceptors for clinical training. The bill emphasizes directing resources to underserved areas (health professional shortage areas) and increasing racial and ethnic minority representation in midwifery education, while prohibiting federal assistance for midwifery programs housed within a school of nursing. It authorizes specific federal funding for 2025–2029 and outlines how those funds should be allocated (split among student support, program establishment/expansion, and preceptors). The sponsors (Senators Lujan, Murkowski, Merkley, Klobuchar, and Kelly) introduced the bill in May 2025, and it would require passage and appropriations to become law. If enacted, it could expand the pipeline of trained midwives and nurse-midwives, potentially improving maternity care access and outcomes, especially in shortage areas and for historically underrepresented populations.
Key Points
- 1Creates a new Midwifery Schools and Programs grant program under Title VII to: (1) directly support midwifery students, (2) establish or expand accredited midwifery schools/programs, and (3) increase the number of qualified preceptors for student training.
- 2Provides special consideration to institutions that prioritize students planning to practice in health professional shortage areas and that aim to improve racial/ethnic minority representation in midwifery education.
- 3Adds a prohibition that prevents any assistance under this section from being used for midwifery programs located within a school of nursing.
- 4Authorizes $15 million for 2025–2029 for the Midwifery Schools and Programs grants, with allocations: 50% for direct student support, 25% for program establishment/expansion, and 25% for increasing preceptors.
- 5Establishes a separate Nurse-Midwifery Expansion Program under Title VIII to fund nurse-midwifery education in schools of nursing for direct student support, establishment/expansion, and preceptor training, with special focus on shortage areas and minority representation, and authorizes $20 million for 2025–2029 with the same 50/25/25 allocation split.