ACR 148, as introduced, Lowenthal. Task Force on the Status of Maternal Mental Health Care.
This measure would request the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, a nonprofit organization, to establish a task force on the status of maternal mental health care.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, In 2010, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 105
2(Resolution Chapter 9 of the Statutes of 2010) was enacted and
3proclaimed the Month of May, each year, as Perinatal Depression
4Awareness Month in California, and called for the formation of a
5volunteer task force. As a result of Assembly Concurrent
6Resolution 105, the California Maternal Mental Health
7Collaborative, an independent nonprofit organization, was formed;
8and
9WHEREAS, Women in their childbearing years account for the
10largest group of Americans with depression. The mental health of
11women before, during, and after childbirth is an issue of great
12concern to women, their families, and their physicians and;
13therefore, is of interest to the Legislature; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Maternal depression and other mood disorders are
2serious and debilitating, but treatable disorders. Children born to
3mothers with untreated depression are more likely to have
4developmental problems and higher utilization of medical and
5mental health care over their lifetimes. Therefore, it is critical that
6women who are suffering from depression or another maternal
7mental health disorder be diagnosed and treated; and
8WHEREAS, A task force should be established to study, review,
9and identify (1) current barriers to screening and diagnosis, (2)
10current treatment options for both those who are privately insured
11and those who receive care through the public health system, and
12(3) evidence based and emerging treatment options that are scalable
13in public and private health settings. The task force should also
14identify provider population needs and patient needs in order to
15improve diagnosis and treatment; and
16WHEREAS, The task force should consist of 12 to 18 members,
17appointed by the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative
18in consultation with the Assembly and Senate Committees on
19Health, and include representation from organizations such as the
20State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department
21of Public Health, the Office of Perinatal Substance Abuse, the
22State Department of Developmental Services, the Children and
23Family Services Division of the State Department of Social
24Services, First 5 California, the American Congress of Obstetricians
25and Gynecologists, and other stakeholders; and
26WHEREAS, The task force should meet at least eight times a
27year. Members of the task force will not be compensated, but may
28be reimbursed for travel expenses by the California Maternal
29Mental Health Collaborative, to the extent available, for the
30purpose of attending meetings of the task force. The task force
31should be funded by private sources; and
32WHEREAS, The task force should make recommendations in
33a white paper no later than December 31, 2015, which should
34address changes necessary within state and county programs and
35any other areas deemed necessary; now, therefore, be it
36Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
37thereof concurring, That the Legislature, therefore, requests the
38California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, a nonprofit
39organization, to establish a task force on the status of maternal
P3 1mental health care in order to further the objectives described in
2this resolution; and be it further
3Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
4of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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