117 HR 8834 IH: Enhancing Questions to Understand Intentions for Pregnancy Act of 2022
U.S. House of Representatives
2022-09-15
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I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8834
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 15, 2022
Ms. Bonamici (for herself, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. Norton, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Chu, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Speier, Mrs. Torres of California, Mr. Khanna, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Deutch, and Ms. Lee of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a demonstration program to facilitate the clinical adoption of pregnancy intention screening initiatives by health care and social service providers.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Enhancing Questions to Understand Intentions for Pregnancy Act of 2022” or the “EQUIP Act of 2022”.
2.

Pregnancy intention screening initiative demonstration program
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
“399V–7.

Pregnancy intention screening initiative demonstration program
(a)

Program establishment
The Secretary, through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall establish a demonstration program to facilitate the clinical adoption of pregnancy intention screening initiatives by health care and social service providers.
(b)

Grants
The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration program through awarding grants to eligible entities to implement pregnancy intention screening initiatives, collect data, and evaluate such initiatives.
(c)

Eligible Entities
(1)

In general
An eligible entity under this section is an entity described in paragraph (2) that provides non-directive, comprehensive, medically accurate information.
(2)

Entities described
For purposes of paragraph (1), an entity described in this paragraph—
(A)
is a community-based organization, voluntary health organization, public health department, community health center, or other interested public or private primary, behavioral, or other health care or social service provider or organization; and
(B)
does not include any crisis pregnancy center or other anti-abortion organization that presents itself as a comprehensive reproductive health care provider but has the intent of discouraging pregnant people from accessing abortion care.
(d)

Pregnancy intention screening initiative
For purposes of this section, the term pregnancy intention screening initiative means any initiative by an eligible entity to routinely screen people with respect to their pregnancy and reproductive health desires and goals to either prevent unintended pregnancies or improve the likelihood of healthy pregnancies, in order to better provide health care that meets the contraceptive or pre-pregnancy needs and goals of such people.
(e)

Evaluation
(1)

In general
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall, by grant or contract, and after consultation as described in paragraph (2), conduct an evaluation of the demonstration program, with respect to pregnancy intention screening initiatives, conducted under this section. Such an evaluation shall include:
(A)
Assessment of the implementation of pregnancy intention screening protocols among a diverse group of patients and providers, including collecting data on the experiences and outcomes for diverse patient populations in a variety of clinical and social service settings.
(B)
Analysis of outcome measures that will facilitate effective and widespread adoption of such protocols by health care providers for inquiring about and responding to pregnancy and reproductive health goals of people with both contraceptive and pre-pregnancy care.
(C)
Consideration of health disparities among the populations served.
(D)
Assessment of the equitable and voluntary implementation of such initiatives to Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and other medically underserved communities.
(E)
Assessment of the training, capacity, and ongoing technical assistance needed for providers to effectively implement such pregnancy intention screening protocols.
(F)
Assessment of whether referral systems for selected protocols follow evidence-based standards that ensure access to comprehensive culturally competent and gender affirming health services and appropriate follow-up care.
(G)
Measuring through rigorous methods the effect of such initiatives on key health outcomes.
(2)

Cost study
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall, by grant or contract, conduct a study assessing the time and cost for providers to administer pregnancy intention screening tools and provide related counseling in a diverse array of settings.
(3)

Consultation with independent experts
In conducting any evaluation under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall consult with physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, registered nurses, nurse midwives, behavioral health providers, other health care providers who specialize in reproductive and sexual health, human services providers, and other experts in public health, clinical practice, program evaluation, and research.
(4)

Report
Not later than one year after the last day of the demonstration program under this section, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the evaluation and study conducted under paragraphs (1) and (2) and shall make the report publicly available.
(f)

Funding
(1)

Authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2025.
(2)

Limitation
Not more than 20 percent of funds appropriated to carry out this section pursuant to paragraph (1) for a fiscal year may be used for purposes of the evaluation under subsection (e).”.