On September 9, 2025, The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health hosted a congressional reception featuring  Congressman Ryan Mackenzie, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, and Dr. Rick Lambert of SAMHSA.

Leaders came together on Capitol Hill to learn about driving policy solutions to improve maternal mental health, including reducing maternal suicide, which is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S.

Congressman Mackenzie voiced his support for continued funding for Maternal Mortality Review Committees through the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, emphasizing that while many states face budget challenges, federal support enables MMRCs to be established at no cost to states. 

Congresswoman DeGette emphasized the urgent need for Congress to reauthorize the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act to support state Maternal Mortality Review Committees and strengthen data collection to drive evidence-based solutions, noting that this is an issue Congress can address in a bipartisan, bicameral way to ensure sustained funding.

Dr. Rick Lambert, Senior Advisor at SAMHSA, shared that supporting maternal mental health, and women, children, and families, is central to the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative. He also invited partners to continue sharing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and spreading the message that suicide is preventable and that there is hope and help. 

Joy Burkhard, CEO of the Policy Center, highlighted key strategies to strengthen maternal mental health, including expanding telepsychiatry consultations, creating maternity care centers in maternity care shortage areas, and driving payment and quality monitoring reform. She also announced the relaunch of the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health and the 20×30 Campaign, which will help implement the recommendations of the Federal Task Force on Maternal Mental Health.

Thank you to our sponsors, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, to members of congress, federal agency partners, non-profit partners and and all of the advocates who continue to make maternal mental health a national priority, arguably one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time.

Together, we can ensure that every mom and family has the support they need.