The Mother's Act - infrigement or salvation?

[Why Syzygy]

I honestly do not know what to make of this. There are two extreme sides. Reid is sponsoring it, but unfortunately, we cannot depend on him to always do the right thing. He defends lobbyists, and several seem to be organizing support for the bill. We can't count on the pharmaceutical companies to be neutral and act in the best interest of public health.

The bill is below.

Against:

The Mother's Act - Mandatory Screening of Moms for Depression is Like a Bad Movie Rerun

The promotion of the Mother's Act is like a rewind of a bad movie dating back to the 1960's when rock stars were singing songs about "mother's little helpers."

Women fought for years to gain acceptance of the fact that many female health problems were real and not symptoms of hypochondria. The psycho-pharmaceutical cartel's profit-driven invention of an epidemic of pregnancy-related mental disorders will wipe out a century of work toward that acceptance.

Sadly, the end result of this latest marketing scheme will be that the relatively few women who truly do suffer from postpartum depression will not be taken seriously.

The Mother's Act legislation has already passed in the US House of Representatives. A majority vote in the Senate would represent a major coup for a multibillion dollar industry.

"Like many of the acts of Congress, the real beneficiary will not be the mothers and their children but the "mental health" workers who will be handsomely paid and the drug companies that are behind this legislation," says Steve Hayes, the director of he Novus Medical Detox Center, in the center's July 31, 2008 newsletter. (...)
http://www.naturalnews.com/026084.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/Mothers_Act.html

The Mothers Act (S. 1375: Mom's Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act) has the net affect of reclassifying the natural process of pregnancy and birth as a mental disorder that requires the use of unproven and extremely dangerous psychotropic medications (which can also easily harm the child). Urgent consumer action (see below) is needed to stop this atrocity, as the Senate could now vote any day.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Richards/byron51.htm

Supports:

Today, April 20, bloggers and websites across the nation ... including Beyond Blue ... will be advocating for the passage of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act by writng, blogging, and sending alerts asking their readers to:

* Call your Senator! to expression your support for S324

Per Susan Stone Dowd Stone of Postpartum Support International:

The list of national endorsers - which has grown to become one of the most extensive American bipartisan endorsements ever assembled - also includes major family foundations formed by those who have lost loved ones to the ravages of untreated or improperly treated birth or postpartum mood disorders. Devastated families who turned their agony into advocacy... by raising awareness and helping to prevent these tragedies from happening to others. They know that passage of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act is the next step needed to meet this goal!
http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2009/04/bloggers-raise-awareness-for-t.html

Menendez, Author of Legislation to Combat Postpartum Depression, Applauds Grassroots Efforts
WASHINGTON – As bloggers around the country today advocate for passage of federal legislation to combat postpartum depression, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Senate sponsor of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, applauded the effort as necessary to enact the bill into law.

The legislation has broad support in Congress and was able to pass the House of Representatives earlier this year, but has been stalled in the Senate because of objections by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Senator Coburn commonly uses senatorial “holds” to stall disease-specific legislation, and indications are that he would do so with the MOTHERS Act.
“Postpartum depression is a condition that is not only more widespread than most realize but also more debilitating than most realize,” said Menendez. “We need to make sure these mothers are fully supported and informed, rather than scared and alone. Working together with a nationwide community of mothers, we are so close to enacting this important legislation into law. What we need is an intense dose of public pressure. This Blog Day helps reinforce the type of grassroots movement that will create the pressure that is needed, and I commend the participants. (...)
http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/04/20/menendez-author-legislation-combat-postpartum-depression-applauds-grassro

The Bill:
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_SN_324.html#usercomments

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Melanie Blocker Stokes Mom's Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act' or the `Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act'. (...)

`SEC. 330G-1. SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH A POSTPARTUM CONDITION AND THEIR FAMILIES.

`(a) In General- The Secretary may make grants to eligible entities for projects for the establishment, operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with a postpartum condition and their families.

`(b) Certain Activities- To the extent practicable and appropriate, the Secretary shall ensure that projects funded under subsection (a) provide education and services with respect to the diagnosis and management of postpartum conditions. The Secretary may allow such projects to include the following:

`(1) Delivering or enhancing outpatient and home-based health and support services, including case management and comprehensive treatment services for individuals with or at risk for postpartum conditions, and delivering or enhancing support services for their families.

`(2) Delivering or enhancing inpatient care management services that ensure the well-being of the mother and family and the future development of the infant.

`(3) Improving the quality, availability, and organization of health care and support services (including transportation services, attendant care, homemaker services, day or respite care, and providing counseling on financial assistance and insurance) for individuals with a postpartum condition and support services for their families.

`(4) Providing education to new mothers and, as appropriate, their families about postpartum conditions to promote earlier diagnosis and treatment. Such education may include--

`(A) providing complete information on postpartum conditions, symptoms, methods of coping with the illness, and treatment resources; and

`(B) in the case of a grantee that is a State, hospital, or birthing facility--

`(i) providing education to new mothers and fathers, and other family members as appropriate, concerning postpartum conditions before new mothers leave the health facility; and

`(ii) ensuring that training programs regarding such education are carried out at the health facility.
(...)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.324:

[silverweb]

1. I do not like this.

It epitomizes what conservatives call the "nanny state." Making any kind of mental health screening legally mandatory is a gross intrusion.

Senator Reid would do more for mothers, depressed people, and every one else if he focused on ensuring legally mandatory free access to universal health care, including stigma-free mental health care.

[Why Syzygy]

2. This part:

(2) Delivering or enhancing inpatient care management services that ensure the well-being of the mother and family and the future development of the infant.

may be why the critics are saying that a new mother would have to *pass* a screening before being allowed to leave the hospital with her newborn. .. "inpatient" ..

[trotsky]

3. Well the fundies and the ultra right-wing nuts are panicking.

Makes it hard for me to take the panic seriously.

[Why Syzygy]

5. That's why

I didn't want to jump to conclusions. Did you read the bill? I wish I could say that I "trust our leaders", but such is not the case. While we want more care for citizens, doesn't that open the door for abuse?

[trotsky]

6. I did read some relevant parts...

and it's not like it makes screening MANDATORY nor does it REQUIRE that drugs be used. Somebody out there hates this (likely the religious right, women should have their babies and get right back home to cook dinner) and is spreading quite the big gubmint/big pharma FUD.

[Why Syzygy]

7. I do find it problematic

that the only alternative news coverage (google news) are a couple of blogs who are obviously coordinating heavy lobbying efforts to pass it without giving any details. Sometimes the RWers get it (almost) right. I'm looking for the middle ground.

eta: I'm not satisfied with just taking a position based on knee jerk to the RW.

[trotsky]

8. I guess our instincts differ.

I'm glad to see more attention given to PPD, and federal funding dedicated toward detecting and treating it. I'm more inclined to trust the blog from a former PPD sufferer and especially from a site dedicated to fighting PPD (http://postpartum.net/legislative-updates/) than I am from wild conspiracy-mongering threads on the Hannity discussion forums.

[damntexdem]

4. After my son's birth, my wife was diagnosed with post-partum depression.

She was later correctly diagnosed: she'd suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.

On the other hand, mental illness is real; and depression is a major scourge. Depression, and much other mental illness, may be environmentally induced, or caused by biological problems. There have been great advances in psychotropic medications in recent decades; but that does not assure that they are properly prescribed.