NYC Council Committee Advances Legislative Package to Address Maternal Mental Health Disparities, Stemming from Speaker Adams’ 2024 State of the City Agenda

Third stop of Council's Mental Health Roadmap to improve mental health incomes for mothers and birthing people

City Hall, NY - Today, the New York City Council's Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction voted to pass a legislative package aimed at improving maternal mental health support and expanding access to mental health services during and after pregnancy. This package of bills stems from proposals first outlined in Speaker Adrienne Adams' 2024 State of the City and represents the third stop of the Council's Mental Health Roadmap, a comprehensive and evolving plan to improve mental health outcomes for New Yorkers. The legislation includes efforts to create a pilot program establishing postpartum support groups in each borough.

"The maternal health of Black women and other people who can become pregnant is a matter of life-and-death that is personal to our women-majority City Council," said Speaker Adrienne Adams. "This Council has made addressing the racial disparities in maternal health outcomes a top priority, and we are proud to advance new legislation to tackle this crisis through holistic measures. Today's package of bills, which marks the next step on the Council's Mental Health Roadmap, follows through on proposals outlined in my 2024 State of the City address to confront the mental health challenges facing New Yorkers during and post-pregnancy. As we address this growing crisis at the national scale, I'm proud of this Council's work to advance more comprehensive and holistic maternal health for all."

According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in 2021, the leading cause of pregnancy-associated deaths in New York City was attributed to mental health conditions, and two-thirds of the total 58 deaths occurred within a year of postpartum. In New York City, Black New Yorkers are six times more likely than their white counterparts to die from a pregnancy-related cause, and nearly three times more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides and overdoses account for about a quarter of pregnancy-related deaths associated with mental health conditions. The Council has previously passed legislation to address racial disparities in maternal health and pregnancy outcomes, including Local Law 85 of 2022 which required the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to implement a program to train doulas and provide doula services in marginalized neighborhoods across all five boroughs at no cost to residents.

"The Maternal Mental Health Crisis has been a longstanding, and often underreported crisis affecting women across our city," said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. "Welcoming a child into the world is a wonderful life-changing experience, but we do not often talk about the emotional, physical, and psychological changes that come with being a new parent. In many communities, especially communities of color, there is a discrepancy and lack of physical and mental health support that is seen among their white counterparts. I am proud to introduce Int. 890 as part of Stop 3 in the New York City Council's Mental Health Roadmap to establish a 3-year pilot program of postpartum support groups to help new mothers and parents navigate life with a newborn. Together, the City Council is providing immediate action to address this health crisis."

"Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death between 6 weeks and 12 months postpartum. We must prioritize the mental health needs of parents, especially those facing perinatal mood disorders and the stresses of raising a family," said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. "This legislation ensures that every parent has access to critical resources and support. I am proud to pass this bill, which takes another meaningful step towards reducing the 75% of preventable maternal deaths among Black women, the 65% among Latina women. This is exactly the kind of work our Council is focused on delivering."

"With the passing of Intro 651A-2024, we are taking a crucial step toward supporting families through the deeply personal and challenging experience of pregnancy loss," said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. "By partnering with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), we are ensuring that individuals have access to critical mental health resources during this vulnerable time. These materials will be widely available in multiple languages, demonstrating our city's commitment to maternal health and family well-being. I am proud that New York City is leading the way in providing compassionate care and support for those who need it most."

"As Chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity, I have long been an ardent supporter of recognizing the vital connection between maternal mental health and outcomes for new and expecting mothers, particularly in communities of color," said Council Member Farah N. Louis. "The passage of Chair Lee's legislation today is essential for ensuring that New York City addresses the systemic gaps in mental health care that have put countless mothers and families at risk. Expanding access to maternal mental health services, including postpartum support groups, is crucial, especially as we witness the devastating effects of untreated mental health conditions on birthing individuals. I thank Speaker Adrienne Adams for her leadership and commitment to these critical efforts, which will undoubtedly improve the lives of all New Yorkers by making mental health care more accessible to those who need it most."

The legislative package on maternal mental health contains the following bills:

Introduction 890-A, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to implement a three-year pilot program to establish postpartum support groups focused on the mental health of individuals who are up to 1 year postpartum. There would need to be at least one group established in each borough, at least one group established in each of the three community districts with the highest rates of postpartum mental health issues, and at least one group established in each of the three community districts with the highest risk factors for social determinants of poor mental health. The Commissioner would be required to submit to the Mayor and Speaker of the Council, and post online, a report on the program, in part including recommendations on whether to establish a permanent postpartum support group program.

Introduction 869-A, sponsored by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, would require the Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health to establish and implement a public outreach and education campaign to raise awareness about resources available at the city, state, and federal level addressing mental health challenges faced by parents. The campaign would be required to be available in the designated citywide languages.

Introduction 651-A, sponsored by Council Member Kevin C. Riley, would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to create materials that provide information about the effects of pregnancy loss on mental health and identify mental health resources available to individuals who have experienced pregnancy loss. The Commissioner would be required to distribute physical copies of these materials to all facilities operated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that provide reproductive healthcare and to post electronic copies on the department's website. Additionally, the Commissioner must, to the extent practicable, inform family planning clinics within the city and hospital departments primarily providing reproductive healthcare about the availability of these materials and make physical copies available to them upon request.

Resolution 0402, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to require health insurance plans to develop and implement a maternal mental health quality management program to promote access to affordable and comprehensive maternal mental health services.

Resolution 0403, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would call upon the New York State legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation mandating all accredited psychiatry residency programs to offer a one-year, post-residency fellowship program specifically focused on Perinatal Mental Health (PMH).

Resolution 0404, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to require obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs) to conduct maternal mental health screening during pregnancy and postpartum, and to require Medicaid to cover such services.

Resolution 0405, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would call upon the New York State legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation mandating Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to collect and report prenatal and postpartum depression screenings and follow-up data using HEDIS measures.

Resolution 0406, sponsored by Council Member Linda Lee, would designate May annually as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in the City of New York and calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.156/A.6603, which would make the same designation Statewide.

###

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.