RI H7626

Creates a 7-member Rhode Island Maternal Health Advisory Board (3 appointed by governor, 2 by senate president, 2 by house speaker) with 3-year terms to oversee implementation of the statewide maternal health strategic plan and report annually starting July 1, 2027

Requires the Department of Health to establish a maternal health data and surveillance unit to monitor maternal morbidity and mortality, including tracking social and environmental determinants like housing stability, transportation access, and exposure to extreme heat or flooding

Establishes a maternal health workforce development program offering scholarships, stipends, and loan repayment for midwives, doulas, and community birth workers who serve in shortage areas, with priority given to Aquidneck Island, Newport County, urban communities, and underserved coastal areas

Creates competitive community maternal health access grants for nonprofits, health centers, tribal nations, hospitals, and municipalities to fund prenatal navigation, doula programs, transportation assistance, and postpartum mental health services

Builds on the existing 5-year federal Maternal Health Innovation grant (awarded in 2023) by requiring the department to submit a maternal health sustainability plan in its budget request beginning FY 2029 to ensure programs continue after federal funding expires