S. 2131 — Dads Matter Act of 2025

This section declares congressional findings on the benefits of father engagement, including improving maternal health care and child development; increasing prenatal care in the first trimester by 1.5 times; reducing postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, preterm birth, and low birthweight risks; promoting breastfeeding success; and lowering infant mortality risks through education on safe sleep, crying, and shaken baby syndrome.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not later than two years after the date of enactment, to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase understanding of the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods for both mothers and babies. 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 on father inclusion's impacts on maternal and infant outcomes, including father-to-infant skin-to-skin contact, fathers' roles in maternal behavioral health and breastfeeding success, increased prenatal and postpartum appointments, effects of father attendance at appointments and paternal postpartum depression, and support in recognizing complications (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth).

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, health systems, midwifery practices, birth centers, community health centers) and health coverage providers (e.g., managed care entities) to train practitioners such as pediatricians and obstetricians on engaging fathers in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum process. The guidance must (1) describe how practitioners can provide peer-to-peer father support in noninclusive communities, educate fathers on birth expectations, partner support and advocacy, and protocols for vaccines, maternal warning signs, fetal movement counting, mental health, breastfeeding, appointments, safe sleep, skin-to-skin contact, baby care, bonding, and early childhood development, and screen fathers for depression with treatment referrals; (2) address cultural beliefs on fatherhood, men's roles in maternal health, and families; and (3) reaffirm fathers' positive role in pregnancy, birth, and early childhood 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.