S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9102
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 31, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to require the office of mental  health  and  the  department  of
   health  to conduct a study on the disparate impacts regarding postpar-
   tum depression screening tests
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  1.  The  office of mental health, in conjunction with the
 department of health and any other  department  or  experts  within  the
 maternal  health field shall conduct a comprehensive study and prepare a
 report on the differential impacts of  postpartum  depression  screening
 measures  in  relation  to black women, brown women and birthing people.
 This study shall examine what additional questions  or  tools  could  be
 implemented  to  minimize disparities found within the current screening
 protocols. The data collected shall only be utilized as authorized under
 state and federal law to inform  the  state's  efforts  to  advance  the
 maternal health scope for birthing people, in relation to providing fair
 and equal medical care.
   2. The purpose of this study shall be to:
   (a)  identify  any  racial  disparities within protocols and screening
 measures for postpartum depression; and
   (b) review current protocols and screening measures used  to  identify
 postpartum depression and overall birthing people's health after birth.
   3.  This study shall research and identify questions to be used within
 postpartum depression screenings to detect, at a minimum, the following:
   (a) stress around food scarcity within the home;
   (b) financial stressors;
   (c) quality of sleep;
   (d) quality of health;
   (e) substance abuse issues;
   (f) additional maternal depression disorders, including but not limit-
 ed to perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, postpartum anxiety, post-
 partum psychosis;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13720-03-2
              

 A. 9102                             2
 
   (g) symptoms of isolation,  including  but  not  limited  to  symptoms
 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
   (h)  different family structures and possible causes of stressors that
 could result from such family structures.
   4. Not later than one year after the effective date of this  act,  the
 commissioners  of  the  office of mental health and department of health
 shall prepare and submit to the   governor, the temporary  president  of
 the  senate,  the  speaker  of  the assembly, the minority leader of the
 senate and the minority leader of the assembly, a report of the  study's
 findings, together with specific recommendations for minimizing existing
 barriers  and maximizing new techniques and tests to better aid postpar-
 tum depression testing and other maternal health testing and/or  screen-
 ing.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.