New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill relating to maternal depression.
The legislation provides services to new mothers and their families. Democratic State Senator Ceclia Tkaczyk was a co-sponsor of the bill. She says the measure provides training to medical staff along with resources and treatment to minimize the impact of maternal depression, which will provide long-term savings on health care costs. Maternal depression may include prenatal depression, postpartum depression, or the most severe form -- postpartum psychosis. The bill defines maternal depression. It also provides information and guidelines on maternal depression screening; information on follow-up support and referrals; and public education to promote awareness of and de-stigmatize maternal depression. The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Democrat Liz Krueger and by Democrat Richard Gottfried in the Assembly.
