Bill
A 4844
Creates a targeted fund and program to train, subsidize, and place midwives from historically marginalized communities to improve culturally congruent care and reduce Black materna
Date introduced: May 4, 2026
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Sponsor(s): Primary sponsor not listed; Co-sponsors: Shanique Speight, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson
Status: Introduced and referred to Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee
Key purpose
- Establish a targeted workforce development program to expand and diversify the midwifery workforce in New Jersey, with the overarching goal of addressing racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes—particularly disparities affecting Black residents.
Main objectives
- Increase access to culturally congruent maternity care by expanding the pool of midwives from historically marginalized communities.
- Improve maternal and infant health outcomes, reduce disparities in Black communities, and strengthen the care continuum from pregnancy through postpartum.
Substantive provisions
1) Name and findings
- Enacts the “Targeted Midwifery Workforce Development Act.”
- Statutory findings highlight racial disparities in maternal/infant health in New Jersey and nationally, including higher infant mortality, low birthweight, preterm birth, and pregnancy-related mortality among Black women. Also notes shortages of healthcare workers and the potential benefits of culturally concordant care.
2) Definitions (section 3)
- Provides definitions for key terms used in the act, including:
- Commissioner (Labor and Workforce Development)
- Department (Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- Cultural congruence
- Family support
- Historically marginalized community
- Midwife (as defined by relevant statutory context)
- Nontraditional student
3) Targeted Workforce Development Program for Midwifery Training (section 4)
- Establishes a program within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
- Purposes:
- Educate individuals from historically marginalized communities about midwifery careers.
- Increase cultural congruence in the midwifery workforce.
- Build community-led supports and recruitment/retention pipelines.
- Provide financial support and resources to pursue and complete midwife certification.
- Funding and external resources:
- Authorizes the program to obtain resources from state, federal, and non-governmental sources (including existing workforce funds and relevant federal programs).
- Can collaborate with midwifery-affiliated colleges, universities, certificate programs, and apprenticeship programs (in-state or out-of-state).
- Targeted incentives and supports:
- Prioritized career paths: (a) Certified Professional Midwives (CPM); (b) Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) and Certified Midwives (CM).
- Loan forgiveness for applicants from historically marginalized communities who commit to working in underserved areas for at least five years post-certification.
- Competitive salaries or signing bonuses to attract/retain practitioners from marginalized communities.
- Childcare and housing assistance to reduce financial barriers.
- Grants to community-led birthing hubs and wellness centers to hire/retain midwives from marginalized communities.
- Mentorship networks linking new midwives with established practitioners in underserved areas.
- Community partnerships to create pipelines among medical schools, hospitals, and community hubs.
- Training/resources to help midwives develop as entrepreneurs.
Program contents:
Educational materials (section 5):
Public accessibility (section 5f):
Regulation (section 5g):
4) Targeted Workforce Development Fund (fund establishment and use) (section 5)
- Creates the “Targeted Workforce Development Program for Midwifery Training Fund,” a nonlapsing revolving fund in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
- Purposes:
- Grants and subsidies to encourage midwives to work in historically marginalized communities.
- Subsidies for employers of midwives (e.g., $30,000 annual) per midwife to support training, retention, and salary.
- Annual subsidies of $50,000 for self-employed midwives to establish/maintain practices in underserved areas.
- Financial assistance for education and training costs (tuition, housing, supplies, etc.).
- Financial assistance for nontraditional students and practicing midwives for family support, with an initial allocation of $150,000 per midwife/student.
- Administrative, outreach, and marketing expenditures for program implementation.
Allocation and adjustments:
Initial fund components:
5) Appropriations and effective date (sections 6 and 7)
- Section 6: Funds appropriated from the General Fund to the Targeted Workforce Development Program for Midwifery Training Fund.
- $12,000,000 total initial appropriation.
- $1,000,000 earmarked for administration, etc.
- Section 7: Effective date
- The act takes effect on the first day of the 10th month after enactment.
- Section 6 (fund establishment) takes effect immediately; anticipatory action permissible to implement.
Estimated impact and rationale
- Aims to reduce Black maternal and infant health disparities by diversifying and expanding access to midwifery care in underserved communities.
- Provides financial incentives and supports to attract, train, and retain midwives from historically marginalized communities, including CPS/ CNM/ CM pathways.
- Attempts to create a sustainable funding mechanism with ongoing federal/state support and annual budget oversight.
- Encourages collaboration between health, education, and community-based birthing hubs to create pipelines into midwifery practice.
Financial snapshot
- Initial program funding: $12 million General Fund, plus up to $1 million for administration, with ongoing CPI-W adjustments.
- Employer/employee subsidies: $30,000 per employed midwife (employer) and $50,000 per self-employed midwife annually.
- Training and living-cost subsidies: broad support tailored to tuition, housing, childcare, etc., with a baseline initial allocation of $150,000 per midwife/student for family support-related costs.
Note
- The bill emphasizes data-driven, culturally competent care and seeks to address overarching structural inequities impacting maternal health outcomes through workforce development and targeted funding.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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