The National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health led the advocacy efforts to pass Bringing Postpartum Depression out of the Shadows Act:
HR 3235 / S. 2311 -Bringing Postpartum Depression out of the Shadows Act of 2015
On December 6, 2016 - Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act, authored by Congressmember Katherine Clark, was included in the 21st Century Cures Act
The bill authorized the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to make grants to states to establish, expand, or maintain culturally competent programs for screening and treatment of women who are pregnant, or who have given birth within the preceding 12 months, for maternal depression. The HRSA shall make such grants to at least three states and give priority to states proposing to expand or enhance screening for maternal depression in primary care settings.
Activities eligible for funding: (1) included providing appropriate training and relevant resources, including information on maternal depression screening, treatment, follow-up support, and linkages to community-based resources, to health care providers; and (2) enabling health care providers to provide or receive real-time psychiatric consultation to aid in the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women, conducting a public awareness campaign, funding start-up costs, and establishing linkages with and among community-based resources.
The maternal mental health provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act, provides states with federal grants to develop and maintain programs for better education, screening and treatment of postpartum depression. The grants would provide services in support of women who are pregnant and/or given birth in the past 12 months. These grants would be available to no less than three states, and gives five million dollars annually (if funded).
In 2018, the $5M for the Maternal Depression program authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act was approved.