Nearly 21,000 Pennsylvania babies and their mothers are affected by postpartum depression every year. Depression following the birth of a child can strike any new mother, and with roughly 15 percent of moms affected annually, the time to act is now.
These new moms are often unsure about what they are experiencing, don’t know where to turn and are worried about the stigma of going to a mental health clinic. Moreover, the American Academy of Pediatrics says when a mother suffers from postpartum depression her baby’s brain development can be adversely affected. There is an increased danger from child abuse and neglect, and the cost of providing medical care to both baby and mom increases.
Pennsylvania moms and babies need our help. Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, and I have introduced legislation, Senate Bill 200, that offers a simple solution to this very real problem. SB 200 would automatically qualify infants for Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention tracking and screening when their pediatrician or family physician indicates their mother may have postpartum depression. It’s not reinventing the wheel — the Early Intervention system already exists in all 67 Pennsylvania counties — but it leverages a system that families know and trust to help both babies and moms.
Professional Early Intervention therapists work with babies in their own homes, playing with them and evaluating emerging skills to ensure their development is on track. Meanwhile, they act as a trusted, nonthreatening resource for mothers who need help — mothers who might be unable or unwilling to seek it otherwise. Pediatricians and other health care providers trust this system because they know moms and their babies will get seen quickly in an environment focused on both child and mother. The two work hand-in-hand to ensure the mother and her baby are thriving.
I witnessed this partnership firsthand last month when I hosted a panel discussion with experts from the fields of pediatrics, maternal mental health and the Early Intervention system itself. I heard moving stories of mothers who couldn’t explain the feelings of worthlessness and fear that had pushed the joy of having a child aside — and stories of the happy families that were made strong once again after their doctors and Early Intervention providers stepped in to help.
SB 200 has already earned strong bipartisan support in the General Assembly and is supported by the #StrongMomStrongBaby campaign, a coalition of more than two dozen national and statewide organizations representing mothers, pediatricians, nurses, Early Intervention providers, hospital systems, behavioral health providers and more.
Together, we can protect our youngest and most vulnerable citizens — and help the next generation of Pennsylvanians grow up stronger and healthier than ever before.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta is a Republican from Washington County. She represents the 46th Senatorial District.
First Published: April 11, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
