Heartland Forward’s impact area of Health & Wellness is dedicated to improving health outcomes through forward-thinking, systems-level approaches to drive lasting health improvements. With 2026 legislative sessions underway across the heartland, this Heartland Policy Update spotlights proposed and recently enacted legislation advancing Heartland Forward’s three health and wellness priority areas of maternal health, mental health and the health care workforce. These bills seek to strengthen health outcomes while driving economic opportunity for healthier heartland communities.

Maternal Health

Strengthening maternal health is a cornerstone of community well-being. By expanding coverage and reducing regulatory barriers for specialized providers, states are working to improve access and quality of care for mothers and infants before, during and after pregnancy.

Oklahoma HB 3904: Representative Ellyn Hefner (OK-87), Co-Chair of the Heartland Health Caucus, introduced legislation to strengthen maternal health care across Oklahoma by expanding Medicaid coverage. Inspired by similar legislation from Arkansas’s 2025 session, this bill would require Medicaid reimbursement for prenatal, delivery and postpartum services (like office visits, behavioral health screenings, remote monitoring and necessary ultrasounds), allow pregnant women to receive health care while their Medicaid application is pending and cover doula and community health worker home visits. These changes aim to improve access and quality of care before, during and after pregnancy for mothers across Oklahoma.

Illinois Act 2688: This bill amends the Nurse Practice Act to expand access to maternity care by allowing Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)—advanced practice primary care providers catering to women’s health needs before, during and after birth—to provide out-of-hospital birth services at licensed birth centers without a physician’s collaboration. This action aims to reduce regulatory barriers while enabling flexible collaboration with physicians, increase access to safe birth options in rural communities with limited maternal health care providers and increase work opportunities for CNMs. After passing the house with unanimous support and passing the senate with overwhelming, bipartisan support, this bill went into effect on January 1, 2026.

Mental Health

Current legislative efforts focus on reducing distractions in learning environments and implementing preventive screenings to identify and coordinate mental health care more effectively.

Kansas SB 302: Supported by bipartisan legislative leadership, this bill would require K-12 school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to restrict student use of personal electronic communication devices during instructional time, with limited exceptions, clear enforcement demands and outlined disciplinary procedures. The bill also prohibits school employees from using social media to directly communicate with students for official purposes. This legislation builds upon initiatives in other heartland states, like Kentucky and Tennessee’s classroom bans on personal electronic devices or Arkansas’s Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, which have positioned such restrictions as a practical approach to improve student well-being. This bill aims to improve student mental health by reducing classroom distractions, strengthening boundaries between students and staff and fostering more focused learning environments. 

Mississippi HB 77: This legislation would require public universities and colleges to conduct annual mental health assessments for student athletes, in partnership with local or regional behavioral health providers and the school’s Department of Mental Health, or equivalent department. The bill also extends these annual mental health screenings to students in the general population with an arrest record. These provisions aim to identify mental health needs earlier, as a preventive care strategy, and strengthen access to coordinated mental health care for students on campus.

Health Care Workforce 

A robust health care workforce is essential for economic competitiveness. States are incentivizing local investment in recruitment and retention while creating professional pathways for specialized roles to ensure all sectors of the health care system remain strong and sustainable

Missouri HB 1820: This legislation establishes a state registration process for doulas—trained professionals providing physical, behavioral and educational support to pregnant women and their families before, during and after birth—to enable health insurance reimbursement for doula services. The bill directs the Department of Health and Senior Services to set application criteria, maintain a statewide doulas registry and consult community-based health organizations in the process. Creating a clear pathway for reimbursement for doulas who register with the state allows expanded access to supportive maternal care and assists in improving birth outcomes across Missouri.

Wisconsin AB 753: This bill would require the Department of Health Services to provide annual matching grants to Wisconsin counties investing in recruitment, retention and support of their care providers, including health care, public health, child care and long-term care providers. By incentivizing local investment with matched funds, the legislation supports counties looking to strengthen and sustain essential health care workforces.

Together, these pieces of legislation reflect a commitment across the heartland to build healthier communities by supporting mothers, protecting students’ mental health and fortifying the health care workforce. By proactively addressing these health care needs through legislation, heartland states are improving long-term health outcomes, which serves as the bedrock of strong communities.

Prioritizing strong health outcomes is also a vital economic strategy. A healthy, resilient population is better equipped to participate in the workforce, drive innovation and sustain local economies. 

For information on Heartland Forward’s current initiatives to support health and wellness across the heartland, explore these resources: 

• Community Health Workers (CHWs) One Pager: CHWs Provide Vital Services to the Heartland 
• Heartland Health Caucus One Pager
• Maternal Care Worker Awareness: Community Health Workers, Doulas and Midwives
• Valuing the Midwifery Workforce with Heartland Forward’s Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice