(1) The Legislature finds that: (a) Doula services have been proven to reduce the cost of birthing and improve outcomes for mothers and infants; (b) one of the most effective services to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of support personnel such as a doula; and (c) support from a doula is associated with lower cesarean rates, as well as fewer obstetric interventions, fewer complications, less pain medication, shorter labor hours, and higher Apgar scores for infants.

(2) No later than January 1, 2029, the department shall reimburse a provider for doula services. Such reimbursement shall be paid by state funds at rates determined by the department. The department shall submit a state plan amendment, if necessary, to provide for reimbursement of doula services.

(3)(a) The department shall establish a work group of stakeholders and experts to develop an implementation plan, including appropriate reimbursement rates and appropriate training, certification, or experience requirements for doula services. The work group shall submit the implementation plan to the department no later than January 1, 2027.

(b) The work group shall be comprised of the following: (i) Thirty percent of the members shall represent the doula profession; (ii) thirty percent of the members shall represent communities of color disproportionately impacted by poor birth outcomes; (iii) ten percent of the members shall represent rural Nebraska; and (iv) ten percent of the members shall have utilized doula services.

(c) Additional members of the work group shall include, but not be limited to: (i) Medical providers; (ii) public health professionals; (iii) representatives of tribal organizations; and (iv) community advocates.

(4)(a) For purposes of this section, doula means a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support for individuals before, during, and after labor and birth. This includes, but is not limited to, attending prenatal visits, support during delivery, and providing resources during the postpartum period.

(b) A doula shall have appropriate training, certification, or experience, as determined by the implementation plan developed by the work group described in subdivision (3)(a) of this section.

(c) A doula shall not perform clinical or medical tasks and shall not diagnose or treat in any modality.

(5) It is the intent of the Legislature to fund the state portion of reimbursement for doula services from the vital statistics subfund of the Health and Human Services Cash Fund.