What's happening
This bill requires the health commissioner to collaborate with addiction services for updated maternal depression screening guidance and trainings, and changes the law's effective date to eighteen months after enactment.
Why it matters
Expanded collaboration adds addiction expertise. By requiring the health commissioner to consult with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the bill ensures that guidance for maternal depression screenings includes expertise on substance use disorders, which are often linked with depression in pregnant and postpartum individuals.
Comprehensive approach to risk factors. The amended guidance will explicitly address not only classic depression screening, but also related social and behavioral health issues (such as substance use, domestic violence, and basic needs insecurity), reflecting a more holistic understanding of maternal mental health.
Enhanced provider education and resources. The bill mandates identification and sharing of training programs covering health equity, implicit bias, trauma-informed care, and pharmacotherapy, aiming to prepare providers for more effective and culturally competent depression screening and intervention.
Longer preparation period for implementation. Extending the law’s effective date to eighteen months gives health systems, providers, and agencies more time to develop, coordinate, and roll out the revised guidance and trainings, potentially increasing the chances of successful adoption and impact.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Improve Maternal Depression Screenings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A1025
- Ordered to third reading cal.76
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Improve Maternal Depression Screening
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
802
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. BROUK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the commissioner of health to consult with the office of addiction services and supports to publish certain guidance on maternal depression screenings, and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A.
2870-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2500-k of the public health law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, is amended to read as follows:
3. Maternal depression screenings. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the office of mental health, the office of addiction services and supports, and other relevant stakeholders as determined by the commissioner, shall [develop and] publish guidance [and standards] for incorporating maternal depression screenings into routine perinatal care. This guidance shall include, but not be limited to, recommendations and best practices related to:
(i) when maternal health care providers should initiate maternal depression screenings and how often such screenings should be repeated throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period;
(ii) screening for social needs that may contribute to maternal depression such as social support, intimate partner violence, food and housing insecurity, diaper insecurity, and barriers to appropriate healthcare;
(iii) screening for substance use disorders;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02804-01-5
(iv) referrals for appropriate follow-up evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment; and
(v) reimbursement methodologies to incentivize provider participation.
(b) The commissioner, in consultation with the office of mental health, the office of addiction services and supports, and other relevant stakeholders as determined by the commissioner, shall identify existing information and training programs designed to [support] inform providers in an effort to promote maternal depression screening and treatment, and publish the links to such information and training programs on the department's website. The identified information and training programs shall include the following topics:
(i) health equity;
(ii) implicit bias and cultural competency;
(iii) screening, referral and treatment options;
(iv) patient resources and available services;
(v) patients' rights;
(vi) pharmacotherapy;
(vii) trauma-informed, patient-centered care; and
(viii) other topics as identified by the commissioner.
§ 2. Section 3 of a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3. This act shall take effect [on the one hundred eightieth day] eighteen months after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the commissioner of health to consult with the office of addiction services and supports to publish certain guidance on maternal depression screen- ings, and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to L.2024, c.644, which directs the Department of Health (DOH) to create standards for incorpo- rating maternal depression screenings into routine perinatal care.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends the underlying chapter by requiring the Commissioner of Health to consult with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports in addition to the Office of Mental Health and other stakeholders in iden- tifying and publishing existing guidance for providers on incorporating maternal depression screenings into routine care. The chapter amendment also makes technical changes to the underlying bill and extends the effective date to 18 months after the bill becomes law.
Justification
This legislation is a negotiated change to the underlying chapter.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 644 of the Laws of 2024. S.2039-B and A.2870-B both passed the Senate and Assembly during the 2023 Legislative Session.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the Public Health Law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.2039-B and A. 2870-B, takes effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.