Lucy McBath supports mental health legislation for new moms, pregnant women

WASHINGTON - Georgia Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath joined two other lawmakers to introduce new legislation that would provide mental health support for pregnant women and new mothers. It's called the Mental Health and Making Access More Affordable (MAMA) Act.

The American Psychiatric Association cites studies that show that 1 in 5 women in the U.S. suffer from a mental health disorder before or after pregnancy. Many of them never receive proper care.

New Hampshire Rep. Annie Kuster and Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore teamed up with McBath to expand access to no-cost mental health and substance abuse disorder services for pregnant women and individuals experiencing postpartum.

"Through my own journey of starting my family, I struggled to get pregnant. I often wondered if I was ever meant to be a mother, and that weighed heavily on me and on my family. It is imperative that we address our country's maternal health crisis in every way that we can," said Rep. McBath. "For the many Americans who experience mental health challenges or struggle with substance use before, during, and after pregnancy, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation. This marks an important step in keeping America’s families healthy and whole."

You can learn more about the MAMA Act here.