The Federal Military Moms’ Mental Health Assessment Act Is Introduced
By Crystal McAuley
December 2020:
The Military Moms Mental Health Assessment Act was passed through the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021!
2020 Mom is proud to support the ‘‘Military Moms’ Mental Health Assessment Act’’ (“The Act”) which was introduced last week by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).
The Act will require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study of prenatal and postpartum mental health conditions among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents.
The Bill Recognizes:
The bill cites 2018 birth stats within the Armed Forces - where over 50,000 members and their dependents gave birth at a combination of military medical treatment facilities and civilian hospitals, funded by the Department of Defense.
The bill brings to light many known risk factors for Maternal Mental Health (“MMH”) disorders, such as isolation from support networks during and after birth, which within a military family can be attributed where a family is based or deployments. Social isolation and frequent moves can impact mental health outcomes of pregnant members of the Armed Forces or military spouses while also interrupting the continuity of mental health care and/or other medical care.
Notably, the bill recognizes that members of the Armed Forces and military spouses might refrain from seeking mental health care due to stigma and fear of potential repercussions on employment or career progression.
What Will Be Assessed
The call for a study into Maternal Mental Health within the military community will allow prevalence and treatment rates to be compared to the general population and assessment of any effects of implicit or explicit bias in prenatal and postpartum mental health care under the TRICARE program (health insurance program for the Military) and any socioeconomic barriers to treatment.
Find a copy of the bill here.
With a Few Clicks: Ask Your Senator to Co-Sponsor Today
Join us in showing your support for The Military Moms’ Mental Health Assessment Act by clicking here to tell your Senator you support the bill and ask him/her to co-sponsor The Act.