Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1996 Compare Versions

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22 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 520 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
33 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1996
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Michael P. Kushmerek and Sally P. Kerans
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act establishing a maternal mental health equity grant program.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester1/13/2023Sally P. Kerans13th Essex1/13/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/31/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/1/2023Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/3/2023 1 of 6
1616 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 520 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
1717 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1996
1818 By Representatives Kushmerek of Fitchburg and Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by
1919 bill, House, No. 1996) of Michael P. Kushmerek, Sally P. Kerans and others for legislation to
2020 establish a program to address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders of
2121 certain pregnant and postpartum individuals. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
2222 [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
2323 SEE HOUSE, NO. 4741 OF 2021-2022.]
2424 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2525 _______________
2626 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2727 (2023-2024)
2828 _______________
2929 An Act establishing a maternal mental health equity grant program.
3030 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
3131 of the same, as follows:
3232 1 Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 16CC the
3333 2following section:-
3434 3 Section 16DD. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
3535 4requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
3636 5 “Culturally congruent care”, care that is in agreement with the preferred cultural values,
3737 6beliefs, worldview, language and practices of the health care consumer.
3838 7 “Eligible entity”, a: (1) community-based organization serving pregnant and postpartum
3939 8individuals, including organizations serving individuals from medically underserved populations 2 of 6
4040 9and other underserved populations; (2) non-profit or patient advocacy organization with
4141 10expertise in maternal mental and behavioral health; (3) maternity care provider; (4) mental or
4242 11behavioral health care provider who treats maternal mental health conditions or substance use
4343 12disorders; (5) public health agencies, including the department of public health or a local public
4444 13health department; or (6) federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization.
4545 14 “Freestanding birth center”, a health facility: (1) that is not a hospital; (2) where
4646 15childbirth is planned to occur away from the pregnant woman's residence; (3) that is licensed or
4747 16otherwise approved by the commonwealth to provide prenatal labor and delivery or postpartum
4848 17care; and (4) that complies with other requirements established by the commonwealth relating to
4949 18the health and safety of individuals provided services by the facility.
5050 19 “Maternity care provider”, a health care provider who: (1) is a physician, physician
5151 20assistant, certified nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist; and (2) has a
5252 21focus on maternal or perinatal health.
5353 22 “Medically underserved populations”, federally designated populations that have too few
5454 23primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty or high elderly population.
5555 24 “Mental or behavioral health care provider”, a health care provider in the field of mental
5656 25or behavioral health, including substance use disorders, acting in accordance with the laws of the
5757 26commonwealth.
5858 27 “Secretary”, the secretary of health and human services. 3 of 6
5959 28 (b) The secretary of health and human services shall establish a program to award grants
6060 29to eligible entities to address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders with
6161 30respect to pregnant and postpartum individuals, with a focus medically underserved populations.
6262 31 (c) To receive a grant under this section an eligible entity shall submit to the secretary an
6363 32application at such time, in such manner and containing such information as the secretary may
6464 33require, including how the entity will use funds for activities described in subsection (e) that are
6565 34culturally congruent.
6666 35 (d) In awarding grants under this section, the secretary shall give priority to an eligible
6767 36entity that:
6868 37 (1) is partnering, or will partner, with a community-based organization to address
6969 38maternal mental health conditions or substance use disorders described in subsection (a); and
7070 39 (2) is operating in an area with high rates of adverse maternal health outcomes or
7171 40significant racial or ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes.
7272 41 (e) An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use funds for the
7373 42following:
7474 43 (1) establishing or expanding maternity care programs to improve the integration of
7575 44maternal mental health and behavioral health care services into primary care settings where
7676 45pregnant individuals regularly receive health care services;
7777 46 (2) establishing or expanding group prenatal care programs or postpartum care programs; 4 of 6
7878 47 (3) expanding existing programs that improve maternal mental health and behavioral
7979 48health during the prenatal and postpartum periods, with a focus on individuals from medically
8080 49underserved populations;
8181 50 (4) providing services and support for pregnant and postpartum individuals with maternal
8282 51mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including referrals to addiction treatment
8383 52centers that offer evidence-based treatment options;
8484 53 (5) addressing stigma associated with maternal mental health conditions and substance
8585 54use disorders, with a focus on medically underserved populations;
8686 55 (6) raising awareness of warning signs of maternal mental health conditions and
8787 56substance use disorders, with a focus on pregnant and postpartum individuals from medically
8888 57underserved populations;
8989 58 (7) establishing or expanding programs to prevent suicide or self-harm among pregnant
9090 59and postpartum individuals, including, but not limited to, the moms do care program
9191 60administered by the bureau of substance addiction services in the department and the
9292 61Massachusetts child psychiatry access program;
9393 62 (8) offering evidence-aligned programs at freestanding birth centers that provide maternal
9494 63mental and behavioral health care education, treatments, and services, and other services for
9595 64individuals throughout the prenatal and postpartum period;
9696 65 (9) establishing or expanding programs to provide education and training to maternity
9797 66care providers with respect to identifying potential warning signs for maternal mental health
9898 67conditions or substance use disorders in pregnant and postpartum individuals, with a focus on 5 of 6
9999 68individuals from medically underserved populations. In the case where such providers identify
100100 69such warning signs, offering referrals to mental or behavioral health care professionals;
101101 70 (10) developing a website, or other method of publication, that includes information on
102102 71health care providers who treat maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders;
103103 72 (11) establishing or expanding programs in communities to improve coordination
104104 73between maternity care providers and maternal mental or behavioral health care providers who
105105 74treat maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including through the use of
106106 75toll-free hotlines; and
107107 76 (12) carrying out other programs aligned with evidence-based practices for addressing
108108 77maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders for pregnant and postpartum
109109 78individuals, with a focus on medically underserved populations.
110110 79 (f) An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit annually to the
111111 80secretary, and make publicly available, a report on the activities conducted using funds received
112112 81through a grant under this section. Such reports shall include quantitative and qualitative
113113 82evaluations of such activities, including the experience of individuals who received health care
114114 83through such grant.
115115 84 (g) Not later than the end of each fiscal year that grants are awarded, the secretary shall
116116 85submit to the governor and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate a report that
117117 86includes:
118118 87 (1) a summary of the reports received under subsection (f);
119119 88 (2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of grants awarded under this section; 6 of 6
120120 89 (3) recommendations with respect to expanding coverage of evidence-based screenings
121121 90and treatments for maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders; and
122122 91 (4) recommendations with respect to ensuring activities described under subsection (e)
123123 92continue after the end of a grant period.