A terrifying roadside birth has become a catalyst for legislative change after Mercedes Wells, an Indiana mother, was discharged from a hospital while in active labor and forced to deliver her fourth child in her car.
Her husband, Leon Wells, had to deliver their baby on the side of the road, moments after leaving Franciscan Health Crown Point.
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, announced plans to introduce the WELLS Act—Women Expansion for Learning and Labor Safety—legislation aimed at ensuring hospitals provide safe discharge plans for expectant mothers. The bill is named in honor of Mercedes Wells and builds on Rep. Kelly’s ongoing maternal health initiatives, including the reintroduced CARE for Moms Act.
“Mercedes’s courage to speak out about her experience and advocate for change propelled me to introduce the WELLS Act to ensure no other mother goes through the same pain,” Rep. Kelly said. “Far too often, Black women’s pain is ignored, dismissed, and discharged. This cannot continue.”
The WELLS Act would require hospitals offering obstetric, emergency, or labor services to implement a Safe Discharge Labor Plan, including:
- Clinical justification for discharge
- Assessment of travel distance and access to care
- Identification of a backup hospital or birthing facility
- Verification of reliable transportation
- Documentation of patient understanding
The legislation also includes racial bias training for healthcare professionals.
Mercedes Wells recounted the traumatic experience: “I’ll live with this for the rest of my life. No expecting mother should be visited by this kind of horror. I’m ready to speak up so substandard care is a thing of the past.”
Her husband, Leon, added: “My wife deserved better. My daughter deserved better. Congresswoman Kelly gives me hope that better is achievable.”
The CARE for Moms Act, reintroduced on Nov. 25, 2025, aims to strengthen the maternal healthcare workforce, improve access to prenatal and postpartum care, and ensure resources are available for mothers and babies to thrive—particularly addressing the threefold higher risk of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women.
Cannon Lambert, the Wells family lawyer, stated: “Congresswoman Kelly is a leader in this area, taking this situation seriously and ensuring systemic change is pursued.”
The WELLS Act is expected to be formally introduced once Congress reconvenes after Thanksgiving, marking a critical step toward equity and safety in maternal healthcare.
