Representatives Lucy McBath (GA-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), and Debbie Dingell (MI-06), along with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), have reintroduced the Mental Health and Making Access More Affordable (MAMA) Act, H.R. 7227. The legislation aims to make mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum women more affordable by ensuring these services are provided without a copay under both private and public health care plans.
Rep. McBath stated, “Like so many in America, I struggled to get pregnant and with the challenges that came along with multiple miscarriages. Protecting the mental health of the mother is one of the most important factors during pregnancy and postpartum. It is imperative that we help parents access the care they need to support their wellbeing so they may help their children thrive. I thank my colleagues for their continued support of this issue and for their work to keep our families healthy.”
Rep. Moore added, “Maternal mental health conditions — including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders — are among the most common complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period affecting hundreds of thousands of families every year. Yet cost remains one of the biggest barriers to treatment, particularly for low-income individuals and people of color. The Mental Health and MAMA Act will help break down those barriers, so that mothers, parents, and caregivers can get the support they need, when they need it most.”
Rep. Dingell commented, “One of the highest risk times for a women’s health and the health of her child is during pregnancy and the year after. If a woman is experiencing issued impacting her mental and emotional well-being, she should be able to get the care she needs. This legislation removes barriers and expands access to critical mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum women.”
Senator Shaheen said, “In recent years, we’ve seen that pregnant women and new moms across the country face an escalating and deeply worrying mental health crisis. At the federal level, there’s much more we can do to make sure that expectant and new mothers have theresources [sic] and support services they need as they navigate life with a newborn. I’m proud to be introducing this bicameral bill alongside a group of my colleagues who understand the urgent need for more women to access a full range of mental health and substance use disorder services so that they—and their families—can thrive.”
Senator Baldwin remarked, “We know pregnancy and postpartum can be extremely difficult, but too many expecting and new mothers still do not have access to the mental health care and support for addiction they need during these critical months. I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation which will unlock sometimes lifesaving mental health and addiction care for millions of Americans, so mothers and babies are set up for success.”
The proposed act would require commercial insurance plans—including Federal Employee Health Benefits as well as state or local government plans—that provide coverage for mental health or substance use disorder services to cover these benefits without any cost-sharing from regular pregnancy care through one year after birth. It would also extend continuity-of-care protections so individuals do not lose coverage or provider access if plan networks change during pregnancy or in the postpartum period.
Organizations endorsing this legislation include National Partnership for Women & Families; MomsRising; The Association of Maternal & Child Health Program; Shades of You; Shades of Me; African American Breast Feeding Network; Meta House; Dartmouth Health; National Alliance on Mental Illness; Black Child Development Institute; Institute for Women’s Policy Research; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda; ZERO TO THREE; Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance; NHeLP.
Lucy McBath currently serves in Congress representing Georgia’s 7th district after defeating Jeff Criswell in 2024 by securing nearly 75% of votes (source). She has represented Georgia since replacing Karen Handel in 2019 (source).
