H.R. 5828 — Dads Matter Act of 2025

This section sets forth congressional findings on the benefits of father engagement in maternal and child health, including that it improves maternal health care and child development; increases mothers' likelihood of receiving first-trimester prenatal care by 1.5 times; promotes maternal behavioral health; reduces postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, preterm birth risks, and low birthweight; supports education on safe sleep, infant crying, and shaken baby syndrome to reduce infant deaths; aids successful breastfeeding; and fosters father-child bonding and improves health outcomes through physical contact after birth.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not later than two years after enactment, to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase understanding of the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving maternal and infant health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods. The campaign must include (1) messaging on the importance of fathers' roles in pregnancy and parenting; (2) resources countering narratives that minimize engaged fathers; and (3) information promoting awareness of father inclusion's impacts, including father-to-infant skin-to-skin contact, fathers' roles in maternal behavioral health and prenatal/postpartum appointment attendance, effects of father attendance at appointments, paternal postpartum depression, father support for breastfeeding success, and support in recognizing complications (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, uterine rupture).

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not later than one year after enactment, to issue guidance to states on encouraging and incentivizing maternity care providers (e.g., hospitals, midwifery practices, birth centers, community health centers) and health coverage providers (e.g., managed care entities) to train health practitioners (e.g., pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists) on engaging fathers in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum process. The guidance must (1) describe how practitioners can provide peer-to-father support in non-inclusive communities, educate fathers on birth expectations, partner support, advocacy, and recommendations for pregnancy/postpartum/child care (e.g., vaccines, maternal warning signs, safe sleep, breastfeeding, depression screening and referrals); (2) address cultural beliefs on fatherhood and family roles; and (3) reaffirm fathers' positive role in early child development regardless of race or ethnicity.

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effectiveness of this Act and submit a report on the results to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce not later than six years after the date of enactment.