--- title: HR 1728. Haven House; critical service to pregnant women and young mothers in the State of Georgia; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1728 cite_as: HR 1728, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1728 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1728.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1728/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74145 date: 2026-03-16 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1727.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1729.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1728.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1728 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-16 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Park Cannon - Carolyn Hugley - Chuck Efstration - Sandy Donatucci - Samuel Park - Sharon Cooper text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1728/2025 upstream_id: 2134564 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - maternal health - foster care - human trafficking survivors - Medicaid and public benefits - housing assistance --- # HR 1728. Haven House; critical service to pregnant women and young mothers in the State of Georgia; recognize ## Text House Resolution 1728 By: Representatives Cannon of the 58th, Hugley of the 141st, Efstration of the 104th, Donatucci of the 105th, Park of the 107th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing Haven House for its critical service to pregnant women and young mothers in the State of Georgia; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, access to safe housing, nutritious food, prenatal care, and a stable, supportive environment are widely recognized by public health experts as essential factors for healthy pregnancy outcomes and maternal survival; and WHEREAS, extensive research demonstrates that housing instability during pregnancy is associated with significantly higher rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and delivery complications; and WHEREAS, access to healthy food and basic necessities during pregnancy is a critical determinant of maternal and infant health, and federal nutrition programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) play an important role in reducing food insecurity and improving health outcomes for mothers and infants; and WHEREAS, access to health coverage through Georgia Medicaid ensures pregnant women receive essential prenatal care, screenings, and treatment that can prevent complications and support healthy births; and WHEREAS, Haven House, a maternity supportive housing residence serving women across Georgia, works directly with residents to ensure they receive critical public benefits, with 100 percent of both current and former residents successfully enrolled in Family Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP, and staff actively assisting residents with applications for the Childcare and Parent Services Program (CAPS) to support long-term stability and workforce participation; and WHEREAS, Haven House serves a uniquely vulnerable population, with 90 percent of residents having previously experienced foster care, approximately 80 percent having aged out of the foster care system, and 90 percent of residents having survived human trafficking, making the availability of safe, trauma-informed housing especially vital; and WHEREAS, Haven House is among the only maternity supportive housing residences in Georgia willing to accept women facing complex or urgent circumstances, including women in their third trimester, women experiencing pregnancy complications, women with learning disabilities or special needs, women who may not yet have stable transportation or employment, and women who have not previously been enrolled in Medicaid prior to entering the program; and WHEREAS, maternal health data shows that the percentage of births with late or no prenatal care increased nationally from 6.3 percent in 2021 to 7.3 percent in 2024, while Georgia experienced a significantly higher rise from 7.9 percent to 11.4 percent, underscoring the need for community-based solutions that ensure early and consistent care; and WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee report that maternal deaths in Georgia continue to rise and that 87 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in the state are considered preventable, often linked to social factors such as housing instability, food insecurity, delayed medical care, and chronic stress; and WHEREAS, Haven House utilizes the evidence-based Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) model to provide trauma-informed care, with two certified TBRI practitioners on staff, including a Licensed Master Social Worker who provides in-house counseling and skill-building support for residents; and WHEREAS, organizations such as Haven House address these critical social determinants of health by providing safe housing, access to nutritious food, trauma-informed care, and assistance navigating essential public programs that improve maternal and infant health outcomes. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend Haven House for its extraordinary service to pregnant women and young mothers in Georgia and for its commitment to improving maternal and infant health outcomes through compassionate care, stable housing, and connection to vital public resources. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Haven House. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution formally recognizes Haven House, a maternity supportive housing residence, for its work helping pregnant women and young mothers access housing, healthcare, and public benefits. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It commends Haven House, a maternity supportive housing program, for serving pregnant women and young mothers across Georgia, many of whom have experienced foster care or human trafficking. The resolution cites data on housing instability, food insecurity, and maternal mortality in Georgia, and describes how Haven House connects residents to Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, and childcare assistance programs while using trauma-informed care methods. It directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to provide a copy of the resolution to Haven House as a formal token of recognition. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Haven House for its service to pregnant women and young mothers in Georgia. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Haven House. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute; it has no regulatory or funding effect. - Cites statistics from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee on preventable pregnancy-related deaths. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Haven House, a maternity supportive housing organization, and its staff and residents, including pregnant women and young mothers who have experienced foster care or human trafficking. It has no legal effect on other individuals, agencies, or businesses. ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal force and changes no Georgia law, it gives official state recognition to Haven House's work and publicly highlights issues like housing instability, maternal mortality, and access to Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP for pregnant women in Georgia. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe research linking housing instability during pregnancy to preterm birth and other complications. - It states that 100 percent of Haven House residents are enrolled in Family Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP, and that staff assist with Childcare and Parent Services Program applications. - It notes that 90 percent of residents previously experienced foster care and 90 percent survived human trafficking. - It cites Georgia Department of Public Health data that 87 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in the state are considered preventable. - The resolved clause formally commends Haven House for its service and commitment to maternal and infant health. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute a copy of the resolution to Haven House. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-16) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-16) - Sponsors: Park Cannon, Carolyn Hugley, Chuck Efstration, Sandy Donatucci, Samuel Park, Sharon Cooper - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74145 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1728.md?full=1