Senate Bills - 110th Congress

S. 1375—The Mom’s Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act or the MOTHERS Act

On May 11, 2007, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced S.1375, Mom’s Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act or the MOTHERS Act, to ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression (PPD), screened for symptoms and provided with essential services, and to increase research at the National Institutes of Health on postpartum depression. This bill is similar to S. 3529 introduced by Senator Menendez in the 109th Congress. Specifically, S. 1375 calls for the Secretary, acting through the NIH Director, as well as the Administrator of SAMHSA, the Director of CDC and the heads of other Federal agencies, to organize a national meeting series oriented toward the development of a research plan for postpartum depression and psychosis that will lead to expansion and intensification of research related to PPD at the NIH. S.1375 was referred to the Senate HELP Committee.

Legislative Update (May 2007): Postpartum Depression Research