The Maintaining our Obligation to Moms who Serve Act of 2024: “The MOMS Act”

Overview

The Maintaining Our Obligation to Moms who Serve (The MOMS Act) is proposed legislation that aims to support the maternal mental health of our nation’s military mothers. The Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA) is advocating for the MOMS Act as part of our 2024 Advocacy Agenda.

MOMS Act Links:

MOMS Act Sponsors

Senator Debra Fischer (R-NE), Senator Jean Shaheen (D-NH), Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-2), Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6)

The Issue: Maternal Mental Health (MMH)

  • According to a report from the Government Accountability Office, military mothers experience maternal mental health conditions at 2-3 times the rate of their civilian counterparts.

  • Maternal mental health conditions (MMH) are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth (source 1, source 2), and suicide and overdose combined are a leading cause of death for women in the first year following pregnancy.

  • The vast majority (75%) of women who experience MMH conditions remain untreated, increasing the risk of long-term negative impacts on the mother, baby, family, and society and costing our nation $14 billion annually.

  • Black and Asian/Pacific Islander women service members face additional challenges, with research showing higher rates of severe maternal morbidity. Black women service members are especially impacted, with significantly higher rates of complications and death compared to their White counterparts.

The Solution: The MOMS Act of 2024

The MOMS Act will provide service members and families the support they need to prevent and reduce the symptoms of MMH conditions by:

  • Creating a 5-year pilot program administered at military facilities to prevent MMH conditions among pregnant and postpartum uniformed service members and beneficiaries.

  • Integrating evidence-based MMH prevention programs within existing maternal or pediatric care or programming.

  • Increasing awareness of and encouraging participation in care or programming for pregnant and postpartum service members and beneficiaries.

  • Establishing an advisory committee to identify evidence-based perinatal prevention programs, increase participation amongst diverse groups, and help reduce stigma.

  • Providing outreach to eligible pregnant and postpartum service members and beneficiaries about the pilot program.

For More Information

For more information or to become a sponsor for the MOMS Act, contact Jamie Belsito at jbelsito@mmhla.org.

Since 2019, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA) has secured $68.5 million in federal funding for maternal mental health programs.

MMHLA is a nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the mental health of mothers and childbearing people in the United States with a focus on national policy and health equity. We advocate for improved mental health care during pregnancy and postpartum; we build partnerships and convene experts to formulate solutions; and we curate information to advance the field of maternal mental health.