Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey
By Antonio Ray Harvey
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — To address California’s maternity health crisis, state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, and state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, have co-authored Senate Bill 626.
On April 30, the Senate Health Committee voted 11-0 to advance the legislation. It now moves to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for consideration.
Also known as “Perinatal Health Screenings and Treatment,” the legislation would require a licensed health care practitioner who provides perinatal care to screen, diagnose and treat patients for a “maternal perinatal mental health condition,” according to the bill’s language.
“SB 626 is not just legislation — it’s a declaration that the lives of birthing people matter,” said Smallwood-Cuevas, a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
“Maternal health must be treated as a human right, not a privilege. This bill moves us toward dismantling the inequities that have left too many Black, brown, indigenous and marginalized families behind,” she added.
SB 626 includes provisions requiring all perinatal providers to screen, diagnose and treat maternal mental health conditions.
The bill also would require insurance plans to cover mental health services during the perinatal period, including case management, care coordination and at least one FDA-approved medication.
The third action of SB 626 requires health insurers and service plans to report annually on the usage and results of maternal mental health services and publicly post the data on their websites.
“As a legislator and a mom of triplets, I understand the issue both professionally and personally,” Cervantes said. “That is why I am so proud to co-author SB 626.
“California has a responsibility to ensure no parent suffers in silence when help should have been within reach.”
According to information provided by Smallwood-Cuevas’ office, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation, and perinatal depression — a mood disorder that emerges during pregnancy or after childbirth — is the leading cause, with only 15% receiving treatment.
In addition, the crisis disproportionately impacts Black women, people of color, low-income and marginalized families due to obstacles in obtaining culturally competent care. The dilemma costs California $2.4 billion annually.
According to the Office of the California Surgeon General, the leading causes of death among mothers in the state are tied to heart disease (23%), hemorrhaging (14%), behavioral health (12%), and infection (12%). Perinatal mental health conditions are considered the leading complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting one in five mothers and one in 10 fathers.
On April 29, more than 100 survivors, clinicians, community leaders and advocates from across the state convened at the State Capitol for the daylong event, “From Pain to Power: A California Storytelling and Advocacy Day.”
The occasion featured storytelling by parents, a documentary screening and legislative visits focused on the passage of SB 626.
The list of speakers included Jessica Walker, founder of Be Mom Aware; Gabrielle Brown, the Black Maternal and Infant Health program manager for Black Women for Wellness Action Project; and Cassie Gardener-Manjikian, co-founder of California Coalition for Perinatal Mental Health and Justice.
The coalition is a survivor-led alliance whose mission is to reshape the perinatal mental health system through storytelling, movement bonding and policy advocacy. The founding partners include Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Maternal Mental Health NOW, PSI-California, and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health.
“Black mothers have long carried the heaviest burdens in a healthcare system that was never designed with us in mind,” said Brown, a maternal health advocate for the coalition. “SB 626 marks a critical step toward reimagining that system — one where every parent’s mental health is prioritized, every life is valued, and every family is given the support they deserve.”
Elyse Springer, policy and advocacy chairperson for Postpartum Support International; Joy Burkhard, CEO for the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, and documentary filmmaker and women’s health advocate Devorah Herbert participated in the discussion and explained the essence of SB 626.
“SB 626 doesn’t reinvent the wheel,” Gardener-Manjikian said. “It realigns the spokes to ensure new parents are seen, heard, and cared for. It’s a first step toward building the just, coordinated system our communities deserve.”
Antonio Ray Harvey is a reporter for California Black Media.
