There is bipartisan support in Concord for what lawmakers are calling “Momnibus 2.0,” a legislative package that targets maternal mental health.Supporters of the measure say it helps address an issue that too often goes unnoticed and untreated.Jessica Crowley, of Hampton, said that when her daughter was born in 2014, she spent weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit.”I went that whole time without realizing that I was not OK,” Crowley said. “People asked if I was doing all right, and I said I was fine, but I was not fine. How can I be fine when I was watching my baby struggle to survive?”>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<Mothers like Crowley are getting behind a new bill called Momnibus 2.0, a follow-up to maternal health legislation that passed two years ago. This time, the focus is on mental health.”This will be game-changing,” said state Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford. “It’s going to save lives.”Senate Bill 246 includes several provisions, starting with maternal depression screening for new mothers wrapped into well-child pediatric visits.”It’s the most important place that we can catch moms,” said Heather Martin, maternal mental health navigator for Dartmouth Health. “We see them the most at their pediatric appointments.”There’s also coverage for 25 hours of time off in the first year of the baby’s life to attend those appointments. For the parts of the state where labor, delivery and birthing centers have closed, there’s funding for rural maternal health EMS services.”Honing their skills to identify the most critical, complicated deliveries, get them to the right hospital at the right time, and be able, during that transport, to manage that life-threatening situation,” said state Sen. Sue Prentiss, D-Lebanon.The bill will also help to develop a perinatal peer support group to break down the isolation that new mothers can experience. Crowley said she’s hopeful the tools can give future mothers the help they need.”My daughter, fortunately, she’s 10 years old,” Crowley said. “She’s healthy, she’s feisty, and I’m here to support the other moms as they face the challenges ahead, because it is such an isolating and scary time for every mom, whether your baby is in the NICU or home.”
There is bipartisan support in Concord for what lawmakers are calling “Momnibus 2.0,” a legislative package that targets maternal mental health.
Supporters of the measure say it helps address an issue that too often goes unnoticed and untreated.
Jessica Crowley, of Hampton, said that when her daughter was born in 2014, she spent weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“I went that whole time without realizing that I was not OK,” Crowley said. “People asked if I was doing all right, and I said I was fine, but I was not fine. How can I be fine when I was watching my baby struggle to survive?”
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
Mothers like Crowley are getting behind a new bill called Momnibus 2.0, a follow-up to maternal health legislation that passed two years ago. This time, the focus is on mental health.
“This will be game-changing,” said state Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford. “It’s going to save lives.”
Senate Bill 246 includes several provisions, starting with maternal depression screening for new mothers wrapped into well-child pediatric visits.
“It’s the most important place that we can catch moms,” said Heather Martin, maternal mental health navigator for Dartmouth Health. “We see them the most at their pediatric appointments.”
There’s also coverage for 25 hours of time off in the first year of the baby’s life to attend those appointments. For the parts of the state where labor, delivery and birthing centers have closed, there’s funding for rural maternal health EMS services.
“Honing their skills to identify the most critical, complicated deliveries, get them to the right hospital at the right time, and be able, during that transport, to manage that life-threatening situation,” said state Sen. Sue Prentiss, D-Lebanon.
The bill will also help to develop a perinatal peer support group to break down the isolation that new mothers can experience. Crowley said she’s hopeful the tools can give future mothers the help they need.
“My daughter, fortunately, she’s 10 years old,” Crowley said. “She’s healthy, she’s feisty, and I’m here to support the other moms as they face the challenges ahead, because it is such an isolating and scary time for every mom, whether your baby is in the NICU or home.”
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