ATLANTA – State Representative Imani Barnes (D-Tucker) recently introduced House Bill 149, also known as the Healthy Mothers Now Act, which would require the Georgia Department of Public Health to conduct a three-year pilot program for the purpose of providing postpartum care through mobile health clinics in counties with limited maternity care and maternity care deserts.
“Every mother deserves access to the care and support she needs, no matter where she lives,” said Rep. Barnes. “With the introduction of the Healthy Mothers Now Act, we are taking a vital step toward closing the gap in maternal care by delivering essential postpartum services to mothers in limited maternity care counties and maternity care deserts. Georgia ranks among the top 10 states in maternal mortality, making it critical that we address this issue with urgency. By bringing care to mothers who may not have the means or resources, we increase access not only to maternal care but also to other crucial healthcare services. This pilot program would provide the resources needed to help new mothers across Georgia thrive. I look forward to working with my House colleagues to advance this bill through the legislative process.”
HB 149 would establish a pilot program that would focus on delivering postpartum care via mobile health clinics in counties with limited maternity services and maternity care deserts. The legislation defines a limited maternity care county as a county with fewer than two hospitals or birth centers providing care, or fewer than 60 obstetric providers per 10,000 births, and a maternity care desert is a county in Georgia that lacks both a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and obstetric providers. As such, HB 149 would require the Department of Public Health to submit a comprehensive written report by June 30, 2026, and annually throughout the pilot program. The report would assess the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program, provide recommendations for expanding it statewide and suggest any necessary changes to state law or policy based on the findings.
To read the full text of the Healthy Mothers Now Act, please click here.
Representative Imani Barnes represents the citizens of District 86, which includes a portion of DeKalb County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves on the Higher Education, Public & Community Health and Technology and Infrastructure Innovation committees.
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