Duval Times

Studies indicate that a father's involvement during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum significantly improves the health and well-being of both mother and baby. Ahead of Father’s Day, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Dads Matter Act of 2024 to raise awareness and provide guidance on the importance of father involvement and engagement.

“Involved fathers are pillars of strength in our families, embodying resilience, guidance, and unconditional love. The Dads Matter Act would promote father engagement and lay the foundation for a stronger, more compassionate society,” stated Senator Rubio.

Senator Warnock emphasized the urgency in Georgia: “Georgia’s maternal mortality rate is a crisis that we must address with every tool at our disposal. That includes redoubling our efforts to uplift the role of fathers in keeping their family healthy during pregnancy and early childhood. With Father’s Day quickly approaching, now is the time to spread awareness about the critical role of fathers in improving maternal health outcomes and creating thriving families and communities.”

The bill outlines specific directives:

- Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase understanding of the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving overall health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

- Instructs HHS to issue guidance to states encouraging maternity care providers to train healthcare professionals on including and engaging fathers throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

- Mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) submit a report to Congress detailing the results and effectiveness of this legislation.