This blog was first published on Feb. 28 and was updated March 5 to add Georgia HB 649, and March 17 to add Connecticut HB 6900, New Jersey A 700, New Mexico HM 56, Tennessee HB 0960/SB 0849 and Massachusetts H.1924 / S. 1171.
2025 State Maternal Mental Health Legislation
- Beginning in 2025, the Policy Center is documenting maternal mental health state legislation (bills) in this blog as they are introduced.
- We are also engaging with the bill authors’ offices to share our model legislation, offering suggested amendments and doing so alongside our non-profit state policy fellows, who often champion these bills.
- The blog will be updated bi-weekly with updates on these bills including modifications to bill text.
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If you are aware of a bill that has been introduced in your state that isn’t reflected below, please email us at [email protected]
The following maternal mental health bills have been introduced thus far in 2025:
Alabama SB 191/AB 322
Postpartum Depression Medicaid Coverage, Education and Screening
Introduced on February 20, 2025
The legislation would mandate the Alabama Medicaid Agency to provide coverage for postpartum depression screening, ensuring that the screening aligns with evidence-based guidelines and is accessible to eligible women. It also stipulates that healthcare professionals conducting these screenings receive adequate reimbursement. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Alabama Medicaid Agency from imposing step therapy protocols on prescription drugs approved by the FDA for treating postpartum depression, thereby facilitating more direct access to necessary medications. The Alabama Department of Public Health is tasked with developing educational materials on maternal mental health, particularly postpartum depression, for healthcare professionals and new parents. Hospitals are required to distribute these materials to parents or family members of newborns upon discharge. Furthermore, the legislation requires healthcare professionals to assess birth mothers for postpartum depression during postnatal or pediatric care, while allowing them to use their professional judgment in recommending treatments.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
The Policy Center supports this bill; however, it encourages the author to extend Medicaid requirements to commercial insurers. In addition, language should be added to address FDA-approved postpartum depression drug coverage and to require coverage of at least one FDA-approved digital therapeutic for the treatment of maternal mental health disorders.
Arkansas HB 1269
The Momnibus Act, to Improve Maternal Health
Introduced on February 2, 2025
Requires the Arkansas Medicaid Program to reimburse for prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services separately in lieu of a global payment or an all-inclusive payment methodology for maternity services.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
This bill is in alignment with the Policy Center’s position that global maternity care bundled payment is leading to poor maternal health outcomes. A bundled rate, unlike fee-for-service payment, doesn’t provide adequate data to monitor the types of services being provided, including maternal mental health screening and follow-up. This bill should also mandate that commercial payers unbundle maternity care services. Further, the Policy Center encourages state Medicaid agencies (SMA) and commercial insurers to implement “pay for performance” programs for obstetric providers who meet HEDIS screening and follow-up targets set by the SMA/insurer, and ideally who also meet patient-reported outcomes targets. A patient-reported outcomes measure (PROM) survey has not yet been developed for maternal mental health.
Arizona HB 2332
Postpartum Depression Treatment; Insurers
Introduced on January 25, 2025
The bill requires providers who render postnatal care or infant care to screen patients for postpartum depression, provide patients with referrals, and educate patients about treatments, including drug treatments. The bill also requires insurers to reimburse providers for screenings and not impose or require a step therapy protocol for any FDA-approved medication for the treatment of postpartum depression.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center has requested amendment to address screening and treatment plan development starting in prenatal care by obstetric providers and at the two recommended routine postpartum obstetric check-ins/visits recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
California AB 626
S.B.626: Maternal health screenings and treatment
Introduced on February 20, 2025
This bill aims to improve maternal mental health care in California by establishing more comprehensive screening, diagnosis, and treatment requirements for healthcare providers and insurers. It mandates that licensed healthcare practitioners who provide perinatal care must screen, diagnose, and treat patients for maternal mental health conditions according to guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Health care service plans and health insurers will be required to modify their maternal mental health programs to include case management and care coordination for patients during the perinatal period, and annually report on the utilization and outcomes of these services and provide coverage for at least one FDA-approved medication and one digital therapeutic specifically for maternal mental health conditions.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
The Policy Center strongly supports this bill. It was championed by the Policy Center’s CA Policy Fellows in alignment with our recipe for state policy change and model legislation. In particular, it would modify existing CA law, to require insurers to develop case management programs for maternal mental health, expanding on high-risk pregnancy case management programs most insurers have in place, to reduce preterm birth. The new case management support would be provided through pregnancy and the postpartum period to assist patients and screening providers in accessing in-network perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C) mental health providers and at least one FDA-approved drug, and at least one digital therapeutic treatment, as well as following up with patients about barriers in accessing care.
Connecticut HB 6590
Establishing a Task Force to Study Maternal Mental Health
Introduced on January 24, 2025
This act would establish a maternal mental health task force to explore strategies to enhance access to mental health resources for mothers and birthing people and improve education regarding maternal mental health issues.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
The Policy Center supports this bill. It was championed by the Policy Center’s CT Policy Fellows in alignment with our recipe for state policy change and model legislation to develop a task force.
Connecticut HB 6900
An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study Child Development and Perinatal Depression Screening Tools and Data Sharing Systems
Introduced in February 2025
HB 6900 calls for the formation of a task force to develop guidelines for the use of developmental screening tools by physicians and clinicians for children from birth to age three, screening tools to identify maternal perinatal depression during well-child pediatric appointments, and an Internet-based system for the collection, analysis and sharing of data obtained from such developmental and perinatal depression screenings among physicians clinicians and early intervention programs, for the purposes of measuring progress and outcomes, improving services and identifying 10 trends and areas of need.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: The Policy Center is pleased to see multiple bills introduced in CT to address maternal mental health. We suggest that one task force be developed to address maternal mental health (such as the task force defined in pending bill HB 6590) to prevent duplication of efforts and promote consistency in recommendations and data sharing among multiple providers and collaborators, including the mother’s OB providers, who should begin screening at confirmation of pregnancy and throughout the perinatal period.
Georgia HB 649
“Georgia Maternal Mental Health Improvement Act”
Introduced on February 26, 2025
The Georgia Maternal Mental Health Improvement Act would require insurers to cover maternal mental health screening during the prenatal period and up to 12 months postpartum at specified intervals: first prenatal visit; second or third trimester; screening during the six-week postpartum visit; and Additional screenings at three, six, and 12 months postpartum.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: The Policy Center is suggesting amendments to this bill which addresses insurance coverage of screenings. As coverage is not a barrier to care, rather payment to providers to incentivize screening is a significant barrier. We are recommending the bill be modified to address reimbursement as well as the development of a maternal mental health plan by insurers/health plans to include monitoring of screening rates and access to care for example.
Maryland SB 0411
“Health Insurance – Postpartum Depression Screening – Required Coverage and Authorized Cost Sharing”
Introduced on January 20, 2025
This bill requires insurance carriers to provide coverage for postpartum depression screening; authorizing the insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to subject a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible requirement on coverage for postpartum depression screening; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2026.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center, along with our Policy Fellow from MD, requested amendments to align, in full or in part, with the Policy Center’s comprehensive model legislation, stating that insurance coverage of screening is already in place, and suggesting the bill address improving access to treatments and network adequacy of perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C) providers, as well as reimbursement to obstetricians (including Ob/Gyns and midwives) for screening and related treatment and management.
Massachusetts H.1924 / S. 1171
“An Act Relative to the Well-being of New Mothers and Infants relative to the mental well-being of new mothers facing criminal charges.”
Introduced on February 27, 2025
This is a reintroduction of a 2024 bill, which would allow the courts to consider a maternal mental health disorder such as postpartum psychosis to be a mitigating factor in sentencing mothers for alleged crimes involving harming their infants/children.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: Psychosis is defined as a medical condition that causes a loss of touch with reality. Because women suffering from untreated psychosis have an increased risk of harming themselves and/or their infants, we believe if they harm their infants, they should not be charged criminally. If existing laws require women in this case to be charged, and they are found guilty of criminal charges, sentencing should take into account diagnosis of psychosis
Minnesota SF 1085/HF 35
Health Plans: Maternal Mental Health Program Required
Introduced on February 6, 2025
Requires health plans to develop a maternal mental health program to ensure comprehensive and effective care by encouraging providers to perform screenings as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and reimbursing health care professionals for all services including but not limited to screenings, diagnosing, coordinating treatment in an amount that at least equals the cost of providing such care. Further health plans must provide these health care professionals with resources and referrals to trained perinatal mental health providers to ensure timely and effective care. A health plan is prohibited from delaying a referral to a qualified behavioral health care professional when clinically indicated which includes but is not limited to a positive screening result administered by a health care professional, or an enrollee reporting suicidal ideation during the perinatal period.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center strongly supports this bill and is pleased to see the MN legislature focus on the critical role of the health plan, including addressing obstetric screening and adequate reimbursement. The following amendments which are aligned with our comprehensive model legislation, would make this legislation even stronger: (1) Require health plans to monitor screening rates and to support screening providers with follow-up to ensure the patient is able to access care, (2) adopt network adequacy standards and monitoring, and (3) direct the department of insurance to assess compliance including adopting mental health provider network adequacy standards in our model legislation.
Mississippi SB 2874
Postpartum Depression
Introduced on February 5, 2025
Mandates that healthcare professionals screen birth mothers for depression within six weeks of childbirth and addresses Medicaid provider reimbursement for postpartum depression screening. Also requires commercial health insurers to cover screenings without applying patient deductibles or copayments, ensuring financial barriers do not impede access to necessary care. The legislation emphasizes the importance of innovative payment models and the use of evidence-based guidelines to improve health outcomes. The bill prohibits insurers from imposing step therapy protocols for FDA-approved drugs used to treat postpartum depression. Also, the State Department of Health is tasked with developing educational materials on maternal mental health conditions, which hospitals and healthcare professionals must distribute to new parents and those showing signs of maternal mental health disorders.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center is pleased to see this bill address reimbursement to providers for screening, as well as preventing commercial insurers from collecting copays or applying deductibles for screening (which is already prohibited for routine screenings by the ACA/USPSTF, given routine screenings are considered preventive care). We suggest an amendment to the title of the bill to Maternal Mental Health, and that the bill address screening and treatment plan development for the range of maternal mental health disorders, starting in prenatal care by obstetric providers and at the routine postpartum obstetric check-ins/visits recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Further, in addition to addressing FDA-approved postpartum depression drug coverage, we are also requesting the bill address coverage of at least one FDA-approved digital therapeutic for the treatment of maternal mental health disorders.
New Hampshire SB 246
“The New Hampshire Momnibus 2.0”
Introduced on January 23, 2025
This bill requires maternal depression screening for new mothers, increasing access to health care services for new mothers, and relative to job protection within the employer-sponsored New Hampshire paid family and medical leave plan.”
This bill provides maternal depression screening for new mothers; makes an appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services for a perinatal psychiatric provider consult line and to the Department of Safety for rural maternal health EMS services; directs the Insurance Department to study barriers to independent birth centers; requires insurance coverage for perinatal home visiting services; expands employee protection to attend medical appointments for postpartum care and fertility treatments; extends job protections under employer-sponsored family and medical leave insurance plans; and directs the department of health and human services to develop a plan for a perinatal peer support certification program.
This bill is sponsored by leaders at the non-profit, New Futures, 2023-2024 Policy Center Policy Fellows.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: We applaud the introduction of this very comprehensive maternal mental health bill, which is the most comprehensive bill which has ever been introduced by a state. The Policy Center has suggested an amendment to include obstetric providers as screening providers, referencing the recommendations and timeframes issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, consistent with how the bill addresses timeframes of pediatric appointments for postpartum depression screening.
New Jersey A 1700
Awareness, Screening – Perinatal Anxiety
Introduced January 9 , 2025. This is a carryover bill from 2024. First introduced in 2022.
This bill directs the commissioner of health to develop rules and regulations to direct physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide prenatal care and postpartum care to screen for perinatal anxiety at least once during each trimester of pregnancy, prior to their discharge from the birthing facility, and again at the first few postnatal check-up visits.
Additionally these professionals, and licensed birthing facilities, shall provide patients and their family members with symptoms of the disorder, methods for coping with the disorder, and a list of available treatment resources. Fathers and other family members, as appropriate, should be informed about maternal anxiety.
The bill also requires the New Jersey Department of Health to initiate a public awareness campaign to address perinatal anxiety.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: We support this bill and applaud NJ for being among the first states to address perinatal anxiety. As noted in the bill language, anxiety can occur on its own or in conjunction with, or as a precursor to, symptoms of depression, and when untreated can often put a person at increased risk for future problems with anxiety and depression, and there is a growing body of literature indicating that perinatal anxiety may also affect pregnancy outcomes. We recommend that the authors consider a modification to the bill to indicate screening shall occur at time frames recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists clinical practice guidelines, as recommended time frames could change overtime and such a change in the bill language would allow the latest recommendations to be followed without modification to statute.
New Mexico HM 56
Declaring May as ‘Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month’
Introduced on March 10, 2025
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: The Policy Center supports awareness resolutions as noted in our recipe for change and model resolution language. Resolutions can be an impactful first step in educating a legislature about maternal mental health disorders and the need to take additional action.
Oregon SB 690
Oregon Health Authority to study Perinatal Public Health Issues
Introduced on January 13, 2025
This Act directs the Oregon Health Authority to study perinatal public health issues including infant and maternal health, infant and maternal housing, infant and maternal substance use and behavioral health issues, and perinatal workforce development. The Act directs the agency to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health care not later than September 15, 2026. This bill sunsets on January 2, 2027.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center supports this bill, and if this bill passes, will encourage the Health Authority to review the Policy Center’s comprehensive resources and recommendations, including the state maternal mental health report card.
Oklahoma SB 1058
Screening and Education, Public Awareness
Introduced on January 27, 2025
This bill requires any healthcare provider who provides services to a patient during the perinatal period conduct mental health screenings for mothers during healthcare visits. The State Department of Health is required to develop a public website and mobile application providing information on programs, services, and other resources for women and infants during the perinatal period. The information and resources shall be designed to ease access to health care, mental health services, public assistance programs, and other available public and private supports and to improve maternal health, mental health, and infant health outcomes. The bill requires the State Department of Health to collect data on maternal health, mental health, and infant health outcomes which may include, but shall not be limited to its new website, through surveys and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The Department shall compile the data into an annual report that includes incidence of perinatal depression and anxiety and categorizes data by age, ethnicity, and other relevant demographic factors. The report must be published on the department’s website and shared with key state leadership, including the Senate President Pro Tempore, House Speaker, and Governor.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center applauds the development and introduction of this bill. However, rather than requiring all providers who interact with a perinatal patient to screen, we recommend that the bill focus on screening by the obstetric provider beginning in pregnancy and throughout the postpartum period, in alignment with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations. We also encourage the bill to be amended to align with our comprehensive model legislation to include but not be limited to addressing reimbursement for screening, care planning and treatment to obstetric providers by health plans/insurers, and that health plans/insurers develop maternal mental health programs that include monitoring screening rates, supporting referral and treatment access including monitoring network adequacy of perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C) providers.
Tennessee HB 0960/SB 0849
Medical Occupations
Introduced on February 5, 2025
Requires the board of medical examiners, the board of osteopathic examination, and the board of examiners in psychology to each develop and offer an optional course in maternal mental health when establishing continuing medical educational requirements for persons licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, or psychology, respectively. The course must address all of the following:
- Best practices in screening for maternal mental health disorders.
- The range of maternal mental health disorders.
- The range of evidence-based treatment options, including the importance of allowing a mother to be involved in developing the treatment plan.
- When an obstetrician or a primary care physician should consult with a psychiatrist versus making a referral.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
The Policy Center supports this bill and encourages the authors to consider more robust legislation in the future, aligned with our model legislation to improve screening, reimbursement and connection to care.
Virginia HB 2446
Postpartum Depression Education Act; Department of Health to establish a public awareness campaign.
Introduced on January 8, 2025
Directs the Department of Health to establish a public awareness campaign, develop and distribute educational materials, and create an online resource hub focused on perinatal and postpartum depression. The bill requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the implementation of the bill, with the first annual report due by December 31, 2026.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
2-2025: The Policy Center is suggesting an amendment to address health plans/insurers developing a maternal mental health plan. While we appreciate the bill is calling for the development of an education campaign, campaigns are not effective in closing gaps in healthcare services, which is the primary barrier to care. Further, it’s our belief that provider and community-based resources should be made available through the health plan/insurer rather than on a government website. This should happen through comprehensive insurer/provider directories, with care coordination provided by payors, and where possible, community health workers.
Virginia HB 1600
Budget Bill
$500,000 is allocated for maternal mental health services
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025 This budget line item is likely allocated to implement the expansion of maternal mental health services as directed by the state’s Health and Human Services agency. https://www.hhr.virginia.gov/initiatives/maternal-health/
West Virginia SB 163
Public Awareness, Education
Introduced on February 12, 2025
This bill calls for existing public health programs and services to educate healthcare professionals on the importance of early detection and timely diagnosis of postpartum depression, anxiety, psychosis, and obsessive-compulsive disorders through the use of assessment tools and effective care planning and care management from pregnancy to one year after birth and through the delivery of counseling and referral programs. Requires the Bureau for Public Health, in partnership with the Bureau for Medical Services, to incorporate information to increase understanding and awareness of these disorders, the early signs to discuss with healthcare professionals, and the value of early detection.
Policy Center’s Position & Analysis
3-2025: This bill was first introduced in 2024, and now is being reintroduced in 2025. Of note, WV was one of the first states to require obstetric providers to screen for maternal mental health disorders. SB 307 (2009) granted HHS authority to create rules to develop a uniform maternal risk screening tool to identify women at risk for preterm birth or other high-risk conditions. The Prenatal Risk Screening Instrument (PRSI) includes identification of maternal depression, if present. Providers only need to complete the form once, which presumes screening is only required once during pregnancy. The patient’s PRSI form is reported to the Bureau for Public Health, and confidentiality provisions apply. Maternity providers are required to provide referrals for support and treatment. Maternity care providers are expected to utilize a validated screening tool such as the EPDs.
We would encourage the author to consider amending the bill in alignment with our model legislation, to require screening in accordance with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologist (ACOG) recommendations, which include screening throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Further, we encourage authors to address the role of health plans and insurers (Medicaid managed care plans and private insurers) in developing maternal mental health programs that monitor screening and follow-up rates, and implement quality improvement initiatives which should include reimbursement to providers for screening and treatment, development of a case management program, and monitoring for behavioral health network adequacy of perinatal mental health certified providers, for example. The monitoring results and quality improvement plan should be made public and be reported to the state’s department of insurance/Medicaid agencies.
If you are aware of a bill that has been introduced in your state that isn’t reflected below, please email us at [email protected]
