Advocacy
Let’s stand together to help Massachusetts be the best place it can be to welcome a new baby—for EVERYONE. Add your voice in support of parents and families, including on equitable mental health services, midwifery and doula care, and more.
Key Massachusetts Bills Related to New Parent Mental Health and Wellbeing
2023-2024 Legislative Session
To find your state legislators to reach out in support of these bills, click HERE.
An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care (S.708)
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Becca Rausch
Requires full insurance coverage for all post-pregnancy mental health needs.
An Act improving access to breast pumps (H.967/S.600)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, Rep. Daniel R. Carey
Mandates insurance coverage for multi-user breast pumps, supplies, and lactation consultation for preterm and other vulnerable babies. Learn more
An Act increasing access to maternal postpartum home visiting services (H.985/S.672)
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Joan B. Lovely, Rep. Marjorie Decker, Rep. Chynah Tyler
Expands current Department of Public Health postpartum home visiting programs to statewide, and requires MassHealth and private insurance cover program services. Services provided would include at least one visit within 8 weeks postpartum, including screening and referrals for needed services such as breastfeeding support, nutrition assistance, personal safety/domestic violence, and emotional support, as well as one follow-up visit. Learn More.
An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options (H.2209/S.1457)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Becca Rausch, Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley, Rep. Kay Khan
Licenses Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) and enables people with MassHealth to choose a CPM for their care and have an out-of-hospital birth. Learn more
An Act relative to birthing justice in the Commonwealth (S.1415)
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Liz Miranda
An omnibus bill addressing a range of maternal health and birthing justice issues.
An Act relative to conducting fetal and infant mortality review (H.2187/S.1414)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Liz Miranda, Rep. Patricia A. Haddad
Authorizes local boards of health to establish their own Fetal and Infant Mortality Reviews (FIMRs), a system for examining individual cases of fetal and infant mortality, to provide community-specific information around birth disparities and other issues, in coordination with the state Department of Public Health.
An Act relative to Medicaid coverage for doula services (H.1240/S.782)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Liz Miranda, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa
Requires that MassHealth covers doula services; creates the infrastructure necessary to expand the size and diversity of the doula workforce, and ensures that high quality doula training is affordable and accessible; amends the Patient Bill of Rights to give patients the right to have their doula in the labor and delivery room; and creates a Doula Advisory Committee.
An Act relative to paid pregnancy loss leave (H.1948/S.1201)
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Joan B. Lovely, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa
Requires employers to provide 10 days of paid leave for pregnancy loss, unsuccessful assisted reproductive technology, failed adoption or surrogacy arrangement, or diagnosis that impacts pregnancy or fertility, as well as leave for spouses or domestic partners.
An Act relative to postpartum depression screenings (H.2163)
Lead sponsor: Rep. Carole A. Fiola
Requires coverage of postpartum depression screening by MassHealth in the pediatric setting up to one year postpartum.
An Act relative to the wellbeing of new mothers and infants (HD.4280/SD.2597)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Joan B. Lovely, Rep. Jim O’Day
Creates a comprehensive digital resource center on PMADs for use by patients and providers; ensures that any defendant in a criminal proceeding who gave birth within 12 months prior to the alleged crime be screened for perinatal psychiatric complications; provides that such complications shall be considered as mitigating circumstances in cases where life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is authorized. Learn more
An Act to ensure legal parentage equality (H.1713/S.947)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Julian Cyr, Sen. Bruce E. Tarr, Rep. Sarah K. Peake, Rep. Hannah Kane
Updates Massachusetts statutes to ensure equality for all children in access to legal parentage, consistent with the Uniform Parentage Act of 2017. Provides a path to parentage through multiple means including birth, adoption, acknowledgement, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and de facto parentage. Learn more
An Act to expand equitable perinatal mental health services (H.1984/S.1261)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Liz Miranda, Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley
Establishes two grant programs to expand and diversify the state’s perinatal (during pregnancy and up to a year postpartum) mental health workforce and invest in community-based organizations supporting perinatal people. Learn more
An Act to improve access to breastfeeding care (HD.539)
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Marjorie C. Decker
Provides a pathway for licensure for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) in Massachusetts, which will ensure coverage for lactation care and services as specified in the Affordable Care Act.
An Act to increase access to nurse-midwifery services (H.1069/S.607)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Brendan P. Crighton, Rep. Kay Khan
Requires reimbursement parity for midwives offering the same services as physicians. Learn more
An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty (H.144/S.75)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Sal N. DiDomenico, Rep. Marjorie C. Decker
Raises the maximum cash assistance grants for families (TAFDC) by 25% a year until they reach Deep Poverty (50% of the federal poverty level) and then increases grants each year to keep pace with inflation. Learn more.
An Act updating the regulations governing licensed birth centers in Massachusetts (H.3616/S.1335)
Lead sponsors: Sen. Jo Comerford, Rep. Manny Cruz, Rep. Chynah Tyler
Updates outdated, costly regulations for birth centers not related to patient safety or satisfaction, reducing barriers to birth center care. Learn more