Bill

HRES 236

Expressing support for the goals of a "NICU Baby's Bill of Rights".

119th Congress Introduced by Erin Houchin and 2 co-sponsors

Expresses support for family-centered NICU care, urging hospitals to involve families in decisions, discharge planning, informed consent, and parental mental-health support.

Submitted in House

WeVote Research Nonpartisan

Bill Summary · HRES 236

Summary of H.Res. 236 (Expressing support for the goals of a NICU Baby’s Bill of Rights)

Overview

H.Res. 236 is a House Resolution introduced on March 21, 2025, expressing support for the goals of a NICU Baby’s Bill of Rights. As a non-binding resolution, it aims to advocate for family-centered care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to encourage policies and practices that better involve families in decision-making, discharge planning, and mental health support. The measure was introduced by Rep. Erin Houchin (primary) with Rep. Morgan McGarvey as a cosponsor and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the same day.

Key Provisions and Provisions Summary

The resolution outlines six main areas of support and action:

1) Support for NICU Baby’s Bill of Rights
- Expresses support for the goals of policies that address the needs of NICU families and their babies.

2) Family-Centered NICU Care
- Calls on health providers and stakeholders to promote family-centered NICU care.
- Emphasizes attending to the needs of babies and families in decision-making.
- Encourages integration of parents into the daily care of their babies as much as possible.

3) Parental Advocacy and Policy Development
- Recognizes parents as the best advocates for their babies.
- Urges hospitals to establish policies prioritizing parental/primary caregiver presence, integration, and collaboration.
- Recommends involving family advocacy partners in policy development from the outset.

4) Informed Consent Model for NICU Decisions
- Encourages hospitals to adopt an informed consent approach for major NICU decisions.
- Includes treatment plans and infant nutrition.
- Requires that families are fully informed of risks and benefits to empower parental decisions.

5) Comprehensive Discharge Planning
- Stresses a discharge planning process that actively includes families.
- Plans should be tailored to the individual needs of the baby and family.

6) Mental Health Support for Families
- Highlights the importance of mental health resources for parents and family caregivers.
- Encourages connections to peer-to-peer programs, support groups, and counseling (in person or virtual) to mitigate perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Who is Affected

NICU families and babies (as beneficiaries of improved care practices and policies).
Hospitals and health providers (potentially influenced to adopt family-centered policies and informed consent approaches).
Family advocacy partners and support organizations (involved in policy development).

Legislative Actions and Timeline

2025-03-21: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
2025-03-21: Submitted in the House.

Potential Impact

Policy Guidance: Sets a framework encouraging patient- and family-centered practices in NICUs; may influence hospital guidelines and federal guidance without creating new mandatory requirements.
Advocacy and Awareness: Highlights the importance of family involvement, informed decision-making, discharge planning, and parental mental health—potentially shaping future legislation or funding programs.
No Fiscal Provisions: The summary text does not specify funding or appropriations; any impact would depend on subsequent legislation or agency guidance.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.