Relates to recognizing postpartum psychosis as a condition distinct from postpartum depression and directing the department of health to create screening guidelines for the condition and provide information to maternal health care providers.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10683
IN SENATE
August 17, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to recognizing post-
partum psychosis as a condition distinct from postpartum depression
and directing the department of health to create screening guidelines
for the condition
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 2500-k of the public health law, as added by chap-
2 ter 199 of the laws of 2014, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 644 of
3 the laws of 2024, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 42 of the laws of
4 2025, subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 62 of the laws of 2018 and as
5 renumbered by chapter 644 of the laws of 2024, and subdivision 5 as
6 added by chapter 199 of the laws of 2014 and as renumbered by chapter
7 644 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
8 § 2500-k. Maternal depression. 1. Definitions. As used in this
9 section:
10 (a) "Maternal depression" means a wide range of emotional and psycho-
11 logical reactions an individual may experience throughout pregnancy and
12 the postpartum period. These reactions may include, but are not limited
13 to, feelings of despair or extreme guilt, prolonged sadness, lack of
14 energy, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, extreme changes in appetite,
15 and thoughts of suicide or of harming the baby. Maternal depression may
16 include prenatal depression, perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, the
17 "baby blues," or postpartum depression[, or postpartum psychosis].
18 (b) "Maternal health care provider" means a physician, midwife, nurse
19 practitioner, or physician assistant, or other health care practitioner
20 acting within his or her lawful scope of practice, attending a perinatal
21 individual, including any practitioner attending the individual's child,
22 from conception up to one year postpartum.
23 (c) "Postpartum psychosis" means a mental health emergency that occurs
24 after a person gives birth and that affects the person's sense of reali-
25 ty, causing hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, mood swings or other
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16262-01-6
S. 10683 2
1 behavior changes requiring differentiated screening and clinical care
2 pathways separate from general maternal depression.
3 2. Maternal depression information and postpartum psychosis informa-
4 tion. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of
5 mental health, shall make available to maternal health care providers
6 information on maternal depression and information on postpartum psycho-
7 sis. The information shall include, but not be limited to:
8 (i) a summary of the current evidence base and professional guidelines
9 for maternal depression screening and a summary of the current evidence
10 base and professional guidelines for postpartum psychosis screening;
11 (ii) validated, evidence-based tools for maternal depression screening
12 and for postpartum psychosis screening;
13 (iii) information about follow-up support for patients who may require
14 further evaluation, referral, or treatment including, when available,
15 information about specific community resources and entities licensed by
16 the office of mental health; and
17 (iv) information on engaging support for the mother, which may include
18 communicating with the other parent of the child and other family
19 members, as appropriate and consistent with patient confidentiality.
20 (b) The information on maternal depression and on postpartum psychosis
21 shall be posted on the department's website. The commissioner shall, in
22 collaboration with the commissioner of mental health, update and review
23 the information on maternal depression and on postpartum psychosis, as
24 necessary.
25 3. Maternal depression screenings and postpartum psychosis screenings.
26 (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the office of mental health,
27 the office of addiction services and supports, and other relevant stake-
28 holders as determined by the commissioner, shall publish guidance for
29 incorporating maternal depression screenings into routine perinatal
30 care. This guidance shall include, but not be limited to, recommenda-
31 tions and best practices related to:
32 (i) when maternal health care providers should initiate maternal
33 depression screenings or postpartum psychosis screenings and how often
34 such screenings should be repeated throughout pregnancy and the postpar-
35 tum period;
36 (ii) screening for social needs that may contribute to maternal
37 depression or to postpartum psychosis such as social support, intimate
38 partner violence, food and housing insecurity, diaper insecurity, and
39 barriers to appropriate healthcare;
40 (iii) screening for substance use disorders;
41 (iv) referrals for appropriate follow-up evaluation, diagnosis, and
42 treatment; and
43 (v) reimbursement methodologies to incentivize provider participation.
44 (b) The commissioner, in consultation with the office of mental
45 health, the office of addiction services and supports, and other rele-
46 vant stakeholders as determined by the commissioner, shall identify
47 existing information and training programs designed to inform providers
48 in an effort to promote maternal depression screening and treatment, and
49 publish the links to such information and training programs on the
50 department's website. The identified information and training programs
51 shall include the following topics:
52 (i) health equity;
53 (ii) implicit bias and cultural competency;
54 (iii) screening, referral and treatment options;
55 (iv) patient resources and available services;
56 (v) patients' rights;
S. 10683 3
1 (vi) pharmacotherapy;
2 (vii) trauma-informed, patient-centered care; and
3 (viii) other topics as identified by the commissioner.
4 (c) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of mental
5 health, shall publish guidance establishing a distinct screening proto-
6 col for postpartum psychosis. Such guidance shall include, but not be
7 limited to:
8 (i) requirements for prenatal evaluation of personal and first-degree
9 family psychiatric history, including bipolar disorder; and
10 (ii) identification of specialized screening instruments separate from
11 standard post-birth unipolar depression questionnaires.
12 4. Maternal depression and postpartum psychosis treatment. The commis-
13 sioner, in consultation with the commissioner of mental health, shall:
14 (a) inform providers of the need to raise awareness about maternal
15 depression and postpartum psychosis; and
16 (b) provide information on the department's and office of mental
17 health's websites regarding how to locate available providers who treat
18 or provide support for maternal depression and postpartum psychosis
19 including, but not limited to, mental health professionals, other
20 licensed professionals, peer support, not-for-profit corporations and
21 other community resources.
22 5. Regulations. The commissioner shall make any regulations necessary
23 to implement this section.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
