BILL ANALYSIS
AB 159
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 22, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 159 (Nava) - As Amended: March 25, 2009
Policy Committee: Health Vote:17-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the California Department of Public Health
(DPH) to establish a statewide perinatal mood and anxiety
disorders (PMAD) task force. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires, if DPH establishes the task force, membership to
include specific stakeholders, including patients and provider
groups.
2)Authorizes the PMAD task force to increase awareness, provide
assistance, disseminate educational materials, use television
and print advertisements, establish a website, and identify
barriers to perinatal depression screenings.
3)Requires DPH to make related PMAD recommendations to the
Legislature and governor.
4)Establishes a continuously appropriated special fund and
requires that only non-public funds deposited into the special
fund be used to support the PMAD task force and activities
established by this bill.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time GF cost pressures of $300,000 and on-going GF cost
pressures of $200,000 to staff a stakeholder group, design
educational materials, provide technical assistance, manage
media contracts, establish a website, and make recommendations
related to PMAD screening.
2)Major GF cost pressures in the range of $2 million to $4
million for a statewide public information campaign, including
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television and print media.
Recent statewide campaigns of this kind have ranged from $5
million to $15 million for BabyCal and tobacco prevention
media campaigns. BabyCal communicated the importance of early
and ongoing prenatal care, practicing healthy behavior during
pregnancy, and the availability of state programs that can
help pay for prenatal services. Various statewide tobacco
education and prevention campaigns funded by Proposition 99
have been conducted in recent years. In the current year, a
$15 million tobacco prevention campaign is underway.
3)This bill requires the use of non-public funds. However, no
such funds have been identified at this time. Therefore, this
bill creates significant GF pressures. If nonpublic funds are
committed to this endeavor, current law authorizes gifts and
an expression of donor intent to the state of California for
specified purposes and subject to the approval by the Director
of the Department of Finance.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill, sponsored by the California Junior
League, increases the visibility of perinatal depression and
increases the uniformity of information statewide. Perinatal
depression includes both major and minor depressive episodes
that occur during pregnancy or during the first 12 months
following delivery. According to the author, despite the
severity and frequency of perinatal depression, California
families are not adequately informed and women are not
screened for the condition. Estimates of perinatal depression
incidence range from 5% to 25% of pregnant women. This bill
authorizes DPH to embark on a deliberate and ambitious public
awareness campaign about these issues, subject to the
availability of non-public funds.
2)Depression is the leading cause of disease-related disability
among women. Women of childbearing age are at significant risk
for major depression. Pregnancy and new motherhood sometimes
increase the risk of depressive episodes. Depression during
the perinatal period can have devastating consequences for
women and their children and families. Only a fraction of
those women with depressive symptoms ever receive treatment. A
lack of treatment and worsening symptoms often have a negative
impact on parenting, family life, and sometimes leads to
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suicide or infanticide.
3)Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP), administered
by DPH, provides Medi-Cal-eligible women with comprehensive
services, including prenatal care, health education, nutrition
services, and psychosocial support for up to 60 days after
delivery of their infants. Local health departments provide
technical assistance and consultation to providers. DPH
maintains an ongoing program of training for all CPSP
practitioners throughout the state.
4)Related Legislation . AB 420 (Salas), pending in this
committee, also addresses a PMAD education campaign and
workgroup. AB 420 also specifies that only non-public funds
may be used for implementation of the bill's requirements.
AB 367 (Koretz), AB 291 (Koretz), and AB 2317 (Koretz), each
addressed PMAD information and education programs in 2003,
2005, and 2006, respectively. AB 367 was held on the Suspense
File of this committee, AB 291 was not taken up in the
Assembly Health Committee, and AB 2317 was vetoed. The veto
message indicates drafting errors in AB 2317 would have made
the program unworkable.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081