Wendy Davis has informed me that Oregon State Representative Carolyn Tomei has introduced two new pieces of legislation for maternal mental health. There are two parts, a resolution and a bill. Oregon House Joint Resolution 15 is an act that recognizes March 2009 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Oregon and encourages stakeholders to address the mental health needs of pregnanct and postpartum women and their families. The timing of the bill's hearing and resolution on March 5this set to coincide with a statewide Symposium on Perinatal Mental Health in Salem, OR.
House Bill 2666 is a bill to propose a statewide work group on perinatal mental health disorders within the Department of Human Services that will study needs, best practices and funding resources for improved care in Oregon and report its findings back to the legislature.
