Bill > SB626

This bill updates requirements for maternal mental health care by establishing standardized screening protocols and treatment pathways for pregnant and postpartum patients. Specifically, it requires licensed health care practitioners—such as doctors, nurse practitioners, and midwives—to ensure that patients are offered mental health screenings during pregnancy and the postpartum period (the months following childbirth) based on clinical guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which is a leading professional organization for women's health specialists. If a patient screens positive for a maternal mental health condition, the practitioner must ensure they receive a clinical evaluation and offer or provide appropriate treatment within their scope of practice, or otherwise refer the patient to another qualified specialist. Furthermore, the legislation requires health care service plans and health insurers (including Medi-Cal managed care plans) to maintain structured maternal mental health programs that incorporate required screenings, encourage the use of Food and Drug Administration-approved outpatient prescription medications, and provide case management or care coordination services—such as appointment scheduling and behavioral health navigation—for patients who screen positive.