Massachusetts Mind the Gap Steering Committee
Danielle Beasley, Founder, Daughters of Yahweh Community Outreach
Jessie Colbert, Executive Director, Mass. PPD Fund
Stephanie Crawford, M.Ed, Founder, Propa City Community Outreach, Owner, Belle Joie Doula & Family Services
Manoucheka Dasse, Propa City Community Outreach Peer Support Mentor
Amanda Hollis Garaffo, Esq.
Ashley C. Healy, Esq.,
Jessica Paulino, The EMA Project
Dr. Jo-Anna L. Rorie, CNM, PhD, Associate Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, OB GYN Foundation
Chloe Schwartz, MPH, Director, Maternal Infant Health, March of Dimes Boston Market
The Massachusetts Mind the Gap Coalition is a large, statewide group of health care and community-based organizations, other nonprofits, mental health and maternity care providers, survivors of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and other advocates working to improve state policies impacting perinatal* mental health (PMH).
*During pregnancy and up to one year or more after birth.
Massachusetts Mind the Gap organized in 2022 with the support of Postpartum Support International’s Mind the Gap State Policy Series. We successfully passed the Moms Matter Act (MMA) in 2024 as part of the Commonwealth’s groundbreaking omnibus maternal health bill. The MMA established a state grant program investing in community-based programs supporting perinatal people, particularly in Black and Brown and other communities impacted by maternal health and mental health disparities. We are now proud to be a standing coalition focused on a range of issues impacting PMH, from birth justice, to diaper need, to adequate mental health services.
For more information, including joining our listserv for meeting registration and updates, please contact Jessie Colbert at jcolbert@massppdfund.org
New action alert: Fund the Moms Matter Act and support the Perinatal Mental Health Workforce!
’25-’26 Coalition Priority Bills
An Act to establish a perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund (HD.2877/SD.992)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid, Senator Liz Miranda
To improve access to skilled professionals and enhance care for perinatal mental health needs, this bill establishes a trust fund under the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to support training and education in perinatal mental health for mental or behavioral health care providers. Grants would be awarded to entities developing or expanding training programs to strengthen and diversify this workforce.
An Act relative to the well-being of new mothers and infants (HD.2093/SD.1643)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Jim O’Day, Senator Joan B. Lovely
This bill would allow judges to consider Perinatal (during pregnancy and postpartum) Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) as mitigating factors in criminal cases, and provide for appropriate mental health treatment for defendants who are experiencing severe perinatal psychiatric complications.
An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care (HD.2988/SD.2122)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Senator Becca Rausch
This legislation would address the harmful impacts of undiagnosed and untreated post-pregnancy mental health needs by requiring full insurance coverage for all post-pregnancy mental health care. Respecting and recognizing the many complexities of post-pregnancy circumstances, this bill uses the term “post-pregnancy” intentionally, to ensure mental health coverage for those circumstances that do not result in a baby, such as miscarriage.
An Act establishing a diaper benefits pilot program (HD.2205/SD.1378)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Mindy Domb & Rep. Simon Cataldo, Senator Joan B. Lovely
This bill seeks to improve child health and ease financial stress on low-income parents by addressing diaper needs. It would establish a state fund to address diaper insufficiency administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH). DPH would allocate funds to organizations – such as food banks and diaper distribution organizations – through grants to purchase, store, and distribute diapers to needy families across the state.
An Act promoting and enhancing the sustainability of birth centers and the midwifery workforce (HD.2842/SD.1596)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Manny Cruz & Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Senator Joan B. Lovely
This bill would take several key steps to ensure midwifery and birth center care is sustainable and accessible, in order to fully realize the promise of the Commonwealth’s groundbreaking ’24 omnibus maternal health bill: establishing a midwifery workforce development fund, including scholarships and workforce retention programs; requiring fair reimbursement for midwives and birth centers; enhancing birth center sustainability by ensuring facilities requirements are not inappropriately onerous; and creating a community birth data registry for Massachusetts to promote quality improvement. Learn more
An Act relative to insurance coverage for doula services (HD.2576/SD.998)
Lead sponsors: Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Senator Liz Miranda
This bill would ensure that all Massachusetts insurance plans cover doula services without a referral requirement or cost-sharing, including deductibles or copays. It specifies that MassHealth doulas are covered for clients with private insurance at the same or higher rate, and mandates a minimum of 20 hours of prenatal and postpartum support per pregnancy – with additional hours for high-risk patients – as well as continuous labor and delivery support, regardless of pregnancy outcome. Importantly, the bill also creates a Doula Advisory Committee to ensure the success of MassHealth's coverage of doula services, and would give patients the right to have their doulas present during labor and delivery. Learn more