Washington, DC – Today, the House passed the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) to reauthorize vital community-based programs to support those facing substance use disorders.
Included in this bill is the Protecting Moms and Infants Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4092), led by U.S. Reps. Young Kim (CA-40) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), to provide resources for pregnant and postpartum women with substance abuse disorders. Services include Substance-Use Disorder treatment planning and recovery, parenting training, mental health counseling, and harm reduction interventions.
“As a mother of four grown children who are now having families of their own, I have experienced and seen glimpses of the many maternal health challenges women face during and after pregnancy. Moms are warriors who keep our communities running and deserve our bipartisan support,” said Rep. Kim, who serves as co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus. “The Protecting Moms and Infants Reauthorization Act ensures that mothers, as well as their impacted children and family members, who struggle with substance use disorders can receive vital treatment they need for a lasting recovery. I thank Rep. Glusenkamp Perez for working with me on this and my colleagues for joining us to support moms. I will keep fighting for maternity care solutions.”
“No community has gone untouched by our nation’s worsening addiction crisis, so it’s essential we work together to get folks the care and support they need,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Moms face enough challenges as it is, so I’m thankful for Rep. Kim’s partnership on this bipartisan bill to ensure moms and expecting mothers have the resources necessary to sustain recovery and build bright futures for their families.”
Rep. Kim has been fighting for maternal health priorities as co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus such as:
- Addressing nurse workforce shortages by introducing the bipartisan, bicameral National Nursing Workforce Center Act (H.R. 2411);
- Improving stillbirth research and awareness by leading the bipartisan, bicameral Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act (H.R. 5012);
- Supporting resources for domestic violence victims by introducing the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act (H.R. 2604), which she also supported in the 117th Congress along with the Violence Against Women Act (H.R. 1620);
- Leading a letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration urging for updates on the effectiveness of the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline;
- Boosting outcomes for screening and treatment of maternal mental health and substance use disorders; and,
- Sounding the alarm on the maternity mortality crisis in the United States.
