Texas § HS.328.003 - PERINATAL BEREAVEMENT CARE INITIATIVE

§ HS.328.003. PERINATAL BEREAVEMENT CARE INITIATIVE

PERINATAL BEREAVEMENT CARE INITIATIVE. (a) The department shall establish and administer a perinatal bereavement care initiative to improve access to and quality of perinatal bereavement care in this state. (b) Under the initiative, the department may provide to hospitals assigned a maternal level of care designation under Section 241.182 the following resources for the hospital's provision of perinatal bereavement care: (1) for hospital personnel who provide maternal care, training on interacting with parents and family members in a considerate and respectful manner following an intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal death, or stillbirth; (2) a perinatal bereavement device, including: (A) training for personnel on the use of the device; and (B) support to maintain the device; and (3) any other resources necessary for providing perinatal bereavement care. (c) In providing resources to hospitals under the initiative, the department shall prioritize hospitals that: (1) lack access to a perinatal bereavement device; (2) treat a greater number of high-risk maternal patients; and (3) deliver a greater number of babies. (d) The department, as appropriate and using money appropriated or otherwise available for that purpose, may award grants under the initiative to hospitals assigned a maternal level of care designation under Section 241.182 to increase access to perinatal bereavement care resources. (e) The department may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the purposes of the initiative. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 210 (H.B. 37 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.