Bill > S546

Introduced Session

This bill would provide for increased public education and patient screening in relation to the perinatal mood disorder known as perinatal anxiety. In particular, the bill would direct the Commissioner of Health, in conjunction with the State Board of Medical Examiners and the New Jersey Board of Nursing, to work with health care facilities and licensed health care professionals in the State to develop policies and procedures to effectuate the following requirements: Physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide prenatal care will be required to provide prenatal patients and their family members with complete information about perinatal anxiety, including the symptoms of the disorder, methods for coping with the disorder, and a list of available treatment resources, and would additionally be required to screen prenatal patients for perinatal anxiety at least once during each trimester of pregnancy; All birthing facilities in the State will be required to provide departing new mothers and fathers, and, as appropriate, other family members, with complete information about perinatal anxiety, including the symptoms of the disorder, methods for coping with the disorder, and a list of available treatment resources; Physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide postnatal care will be required to screen new mothers for perinatal anxiety prior to the mother's discharge from the birthing facility, and again at the first few postnatal check-up visits; and Physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide prenatal or postnatal care will be required to include fathers and other family members, as appropriate, in both the education and treatment processes, in order to help them better understand the nature and causes of perinatal anxiety so that they can overcome any spillover effects of the disorder and improve their ability to be supportive of the expecting or new mother. Screening under the bill would be accomplished either through the use of the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) - a recently developed screening test that has been recognized for its ability to correctly identify women with anxiety disorders, and recommended for use by medical professionals in the screening of pregnant women and new mothers for perinatal anxiety - or through the use of another scale or test that has been approved by the commissioner for such screening purposes. The bill would additionally require the commissioner to develop a public awareness campaign that is designed to inform the general public about the nature and causes of perinatal anxiety and its health implications, including the symptoms of the disorder, methods of coping with the disorder, and the most effective means of treatment. The commissioner would be required to adopt rules and regulations to implement the bill's provisions and effectuate its purposes.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Richard Codey (D)*,  Loretta Weinberg (D)*,  Linda Greenstein (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/14/2020)

Official Document