Advocacy and Policy Work
The History:
We were founded through collaborative state policy work that began in 2009. Read more about our work here.
That state work coupled with our Founder and Executive Director Joy Burkhard’s extensive experience working in the legal and quality improvement departments for a Fortune 50 healthcare services company has formed the basis of our understanding of the root cause barriers to diagnosis of MMH disorders and access to care.
We began addressing federal policy when we formed the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health in 2014. The Coalition was formed after we convened a group of stakeholders in D.C. to address maternal mental health and share the "2020 Mom Project's" pillars of change. Stakeholders included the National Institute for Health Care Management, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the March of Dimes, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Postpartum Support International and more. Federal agencies had also RSVPed though the event occurred on the first day of a government shutdown.
The National Coalition began convening regularly and included engaging federal agencies. The National Coalition was the group that ultimately led the advocacy work to pass The Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act, with the help of a dynamic volunteer lobbyist.
Recognized Policy Leader
Recognized as the go-to MMH policy expert for over a decade, our Policy and Programs team have been invited to speak and participate at SAMHSA convenings, The National Governors Association conference, Zero to Three (presentation and fireside chat) the Association of Maternal Child Health Programs (AMCHP) conferences and webinars, CLASP’s Policy learning network and the Alliance for Health Policy and more.
National Awards
Joy Burkhard, our founder, has received several national awards for her policy expertise and accomplishments, most notably:
In 2016 Joy received the Federal Health and Human Services, Office of Women’s Health Emerging Leader Award
In 2019 Joy was honored with the American Public Health Association’s prestigious and highly competitive Maternal Child Health Advocate of the Year Award
Our Policy Project Portfolio:
We are a think tank and field catalyst. However, during our first decade, we were also focused on raising awareness and advocating for change through state and federal legislation and regulatory engagement. Our project portfolio includes:
The Annual MMH Emerging Considerations Multi-Stakeholder FORUM
Writing and staffing Federal MMH Legislative Policy
Writing and staffing CA MMH Legislative Policy
Tracking and endorsing applicable Federal MCH and MMH bills
Drafting Model MMH State Legislation
Consultant to members of Congress and state legislators, including the Black Maternal Health Caucus re: Mental Health and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus
Routine check-ins with Federal Agencies: HRSA, NIH, SAMHSA, CDC, and OWH
The Maternal Mental Health State Policy Fellows Program for Non-Profit Leaders
Hosting the annual MMH DC Hill Day through Mom Congress
Distributing eNews, including news roundup addressing topics pertinent to the MMH field and policy
Significant Policy Accomplishments Timeline
2022 Passed the TRIUMPH for New Moms Act, which calls on the Federal Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency to create a federal interagency task force and federal strategic plan including recommendations for governors
2021-2023 Provided back-end advocacy support to the Shades of Blue Project, including a substantive policy capacity grant, to support the federal Moms Matter Act 2022 Hosted via Mom Congress the "Saving and Supporting Moms" Congressional Briefing which featured, among other presentations, the latest CDC Maternal Mortality report noting maternal mental health conditions as the leading cause of pregnancy-related death
2020-2021 Consulted to the Black Maternal Health Caucus on the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Maternal Mental Health Policy (2020-present)
2020 Drafted and securing federal interagency report on federal gaps in maternal mental health
2019 Hosting via Mom Congress the “Saving and Supporting Moms” Congressional Briefing, featuring the CDC, Christy Turlington Burns and others
2017-2018 Distributing National and CA Task Force State and National Recommendations ,
2019 Tracking Progress against those recommendations and issuing a Follow Up report Maternal Mental Health: State of the State in California and Beyond
2017-2019 Drafting and passage of CA’s comprehensive maternal mental health bill package including the high profile screening mandate and insurer law
2017 Issuance of the CA MMH Strategic Plan Report , the first report in the nation to identify the gaps and a framework for change for national agencies and professional associations
2015 Formation of a Multi-Stakeholder Maternal Mental Health Task Force in CA including national speakers
2014 Formation of the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health , the entity that pushed for passage of Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act
2014 Began development of respected relationships with state and federal agencies, most notably SAMHSA and CDC beginning 2010 Proclaimed the month of May as Maternal or Perinatal Depression Awareness Month in California in 2010 and then Internationally with Postpartum Support International
