BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2317
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Date of Hearing: April 26, 2006
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Judy Chu, Chair
AB 2317 (Koretz) - As Amended: April 18, 2006
Policy Committee: HealthVote:11-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to
conduct the Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD)
Community Awareness Campaign (CAC). Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires PMAD CAC to do all of the following:
a) Provide awareness, assistance, and information regarding
PMAD using television, print media, radio, Internet Web
sites, outdoor advertising, and other media, where
appropriate, to disseminate information to pregnant women
and new mothers regarding the availability of services and
treatment for PMAD, which can include medication,
professional therapy and counseling, support groups, and
telephone crisis hotlines.
b) Establish an Internet Web site devoted to providing
information about the symptoms and treatment of PMAD that
is accessible to the general public.
c) Undertake public education activities related to PMAD,
as appropriate.
2)Requires DHS to convene a workgroup to develop recommendations
on the most efficient and effective ways to raise public
awareness of the symptoms, warning signs, and treatment of
PMAD, requires the workgroup to be responsible for securing
private contributions to fund the campaign, and requires the
workgroup to prepare and submit to DHS its recommendations
relating to the PMAD campaign.
3)Authorizes DHS to use nonpublic sources of funding to support
the activities of the workgroup and to fund the campaign.
Voluntary contributions received for the purposes of this bill
AB 2317
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are required to be deposited into the Community Postpartum
Anxiety and Mood Disorders Awareness Campaign Fund, which is
continuously appropriated to DHS.
FISCAL EFFECT
Annual on-going cost pressure, likely in the hundreds of
thousands to millions of dollars annually, depending upon the
scope of the PMAD community awareness campaign. This bill is
operative only to the extent nonstate funding is made available
to fully support the activities of the bill, so the amount of
funding would depend upon funds received.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, no laws in California
currently exist regarding postpartum depression information,
treatment or resources. Additionally, despite the high rate
of occurrence, the state has not created a uniform standard of
care. The author argues there is a significant need for women
and families to be educated and made aware of the statistics
and symptoms related to PMAD, as well as the treatment and
support options available. In raising the level of awareness,
this bill would address the stigma associated with PMAD which
prevents most women from seeking adequate care. This bill is
supported by the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, the California Psychiatric Association, the
California Association for Nurse Practitioners, the California
Medical Association, the California Psychological Association
and the California National Organization for Women.
2)Background . Postpartum mood and anxiety disorder affects
childbearing women and takes many forms, including depression,
anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and
psychosis. Postpartum depression affects an estimated 10% of
new mothers and usually occurs within days of the delivery,
but can take weeks to appear. Symptoms include anger,
anxiety, sadness or despair, difficulty coping with daily
tasks, and fears of self-harm or harming her baby. The level
of severity of an episode has potentially serious
repercussions on the psychological, social, and physical heath
of mothers, children, and their families. In 1-3 cases for
every 1,000 births, postpartum depression develops into more
severe mental illnesses.
AB 2317
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3)Opposition . The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR)
writes that there is no objective or scientific test for any
psychiatric illness, including postpartum depression and that
there are many known physical causes for the symptoms labeled
by the psychiatric industry as postpartum depression and the
other so-called disorders named in this bill. CCHR contends
that the biggest beneficiary of this bill would be the
psychiatric and pharmaceutical industries, not mothers and
children. The Elders' Freedom Coalition writes that in the
majority of cases, documented causes of so-called "depression"
have their bases in hormonal or other physical problems,
including malnutrition, and that tax dollars would be better
spent on effective programs for the benefit of all and not
wasted on destructive programs proposed in this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Scott Bain / APPR. / (916) 319-2081