Washington, DC – Today U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-39), a mother of four, helped introduce a bipartisan bill to support and provide mental health resources for new mothers.
Rep. Kim joined Reps. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Larry Bucshon (IN-08) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE- At-Large) to introduce the Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal and Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Mothers Act.
The TRIUMPH Act would create a maternal mental health task force of federal agencies to review maternal mental health programs, coordinate resources and create a national strategy to better support new mothers and more efficiently spend taxpayer dollars.
“As a mother of four, I am familiar with the struggles new mothers often face,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to support mothers and provide targeted resources to women and families who need it most.”
“The high rate of mental health conditions among new mothers is heartbreaking and it demands action. At a time that should be full of joy, we must ensure that women get the mental and physical health care they need. The TRIUMPH for New Moms Act will help us achieve that goal,” Congresswoman Barragán said.
“Indiana has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the country. This is an urgent health care challenge that we must address, and the great news is that we can. Research indicates that, in many cases, these deaths can be prevented through targeted solutions like increasing mental health support for pregnant and new mothers,” said Dr. Bucshon. “I have long been working to tackle this crisis, and I am proud to help introduce the TRIUMPH for New Moms Act, which will create a task force of experts designated specifically to improve maternal mental health and reduce maternal mortality rates.”
“Maternal health outcomes, especially among women of color, is a public health emergency in our country. In combatting any public health emergency, we need information, coordination, and action. That’s why today, I’m proud to join with my colleagues to introduce the TRIUMPH for New Moms Act,” said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. “This bill will review and determine best practices for maternal health, coordinate and streamline federal resources to get them where they need to go, and most importantly, create a coordinated national strategy to help mothers throughout the country.”
1 in 5 women and 3 and 5 minority women will suffer from a maternal mental health condition such as postpartum depression or anxiety. 50% will never receive treatment, and maternal mortality, suicide and overdose remain the leading causes of death for new mothers in the United States.
A recent study concluded that untreated disorders cost the U.S. over $14 billion dollars each year. This includes the cost of productivity loss, preterm births, long-term health care costs, and child behavioral/developmental costs.
Learn more about the bill here.
