Please save the date!
The CA Women's Caucus has tentatively scheduled an informational hearing on ACR 105 (Perinatal Depression Awareness Month) for Tuesday, May 4 from 1:30 – 2:30 PM in Sacramento.
Julie Elginer, the SPAC Co-Chair is currently working with members of the L.A. County Perinatal Task Force on the messages that we want to convey and will begin securing speakers soon.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Concurrent Resolution Moves Forward
Julie Elginer, Co-Chair of SPAC has been working relentlessly with many of our partners to make the new Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) legislative plan a reality.
In summary after tremendous bipartisan support in the Assembly Health Committee, AB 159 was indefinitely held in suspense as part of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Given that California is facing an additional $15-20B fiscal shortfall in 2010, SPAC needed to take a revised approach. In November, the SPAC delegation voted to pursue the three pronged approach of (a) a concurrent resolution, (b) working with the CA Women’s Caucus OR the CA Commission on the Status of Women to hold informational hearings on PMAD and (c) approaching the CA Research Bureau to consider a research publication on this issue.
Concurrent Resolution (ACR 105)
On December 11, 2009, SPAC leadership met with Jackie Koenig (Legislative Director for Assembly Member Nava’s office), Liz Fuller (Consultant to the CA Women’s Caucus) and Lucy Krohn (Chief of Staff for Assembly Member Saldana - Chair of the CA Women’s Caucus). At that time, SPAC submitted the language for the Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) which was the work of numerous stakeholders, including many of those who testified on behalf of AB 159. The resolution was modeled largely off of ACR 51 (Koretz – 2003), and declares the month of May 2010 as Perinatal Depression Awareness Month in California. The resolution also requests that the StateDepartment of Health Care Services, the State Department of PublicHealth, the State Department of Mental Health, First 5 California, Postpartum Support International, and other stakeholders to work together to explore ways to improve women’s access to mental healthcare at the state and local levels, to facilitate increased awareness andeducation about perinatal depression, to explore and encourage the useof prenatal screening tools, and to improve the availability of effectivetreatment and community support services. Nava's office introduced the resolution this week. There were nine co-authors upon introduction, which illustrates the bi-partisan support for this effort.
to review a copy of the resolution, please click on the following link:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=acr_105&sess=CUR&house=A&author=nava
Informational Hearings
The California Women's Caucus has expressed interest in holding a legislative briefing/hearing in May during Women's Health Month on issues impacting maternal health, including PMAD. The hearing will likely be coordinated with the Assembly Health Committee in Sacramento. This will allow the content to become public record, and content of such committees is circulated to all legislators, staffers and gubernatorial staffers through the daily “pink sheet.” The hearing is being targeted for either Tuesday, May 4 or May 11. However we have learned that it is entirely possible the hearing might not occur despite all our best efforts as it is not uncommon that items relating to the fiscal crisis or pending legislation force cancellation of scheduled hearings. If the hearing goes forward, SPAC will assist in the identification of speakers and will be involved publicizing the hearing. Please tentatively mark your calendars!
CA Research Bureau Request
A Policy Analyst has been assigned who has been assigned this topic, is incredibly motive to move this issue forward. He is in the process of developing a project proposal for his leadership within the Bureau. Additionally, he is interested in holding a larger “stakeholders” meeting soon. Names of following organizations were provided as interested stakeholders:
LAC Perinatal Mental Health Taskforce, PSI, CMA Foundation, ACOG, Office of Women’s Health, County Mental Health Directors Association and more.
For more information on Federal postpartum legislation, please see the Perinatal Pro Weekly Blog at http://perinatalpro.com/. This week's highlights include:
The MOTHERS Act now passed in Senate & Time Magazine includes Katherine Stone’s MOTHERS Act Letter among Best of the Year
In summary after tremendous bipartisan support in the Assembly Health Committee, AB 159 was indefinitely held in suspense as part of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Given that California is facing an additional $15-20B fiscal shortfall in 2010, SPAC needed to take a revised approach. In November, the SPAC delegation voted to pursue the three pronged approach of (a) a concurrent resolution, (b) working with the CA Women’s Caucus OR the CA Commission on the Status of Women to hold informational hearings on PMAD and (c) approaching the CA Research Bureau to consider a research publication on this issue.
Concurrent Resolution (ACR 105)
On December 11, 2009, SPAC leadership met with Jackie Koenig (Legislative Director for Assembly Member Nava’s office), Liz Fuller (Consultant to the CA Women’s Caucus) and Lucy Krohn (Chief of Staff for Assembly Member Saldana - Chair of the CA Women’s Caucus). At that time, SPAC submitted the language for the Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) which was the work of numerous stakeholders, including many of those who testified on behalf of AB 159. The resolution was modeled largely off of ACR 51 (Koretz – 2003), and declares the month of May 2010 as Perinatal Depression Awareness Month in California. The resolution also requests that the StateDepartment of Health Care Services, the State Department of PublicHealth, the State Department of Mental Health, First 5 California, Postpartum Support International, and other stakeholders to work together to explore ways to improve women’s access to mental healthcare at the state and local levels, to facilitate increased awareness andeducation about perinatal depression, to explore and encourage the useof prenatal screening tools, and to improve the availability of effectivetreatment and community support services. Nava's office introduced the resolution this week. There were nine co-authors upon introduction, which illustrates the bi-partisan support for this effort.
to review a copy of the resolution, please click on the following link:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=acr_105&sess=CUR&house=A&author=nava
Informational Hearings
The California Women's Caucus has expressed interest in holding a legislative briefing/hearing in May during Women's Health Month on issues impacting maternal health, including PMAD. The hearing will likely be coordinated with the Assembly Health Committee in Sacramento. This will allow the content to become public record, and content of such committees is circulated to all legislators, staffers and gubernatorial staffers through the daily “pink sheet.” The hearing is being targeted for either Tuesday, May 4 or May 11. However we have learned that it is entirely possible the hearing might not occur despite all our best efforts as it is not uncommon that items relating to the fiscal crisis or pending legislation force cancellation of scheduled hearings. If the hearing goes forward, SPAC will assist in the identification of speakers and will be involved publicizing the hearing. Please tentatively mark your calendars!
CA Research Bureau Request
A Policy Analyst has been assigned who has been assigned this topic, is incredibly motive to move this issue forward. He is in the process of developing a project proposal for his leadership within the Bureau. Additionally, he is interested in holding a larger “stakeholders” meeting soon. Names of following organizations were provided as interested stakeholders:
LAC Perinatal Mental Health Taskforce, PSI, CMA Foundation, ACOG, Office of Women’s Health, County Mental Health Directors Association and more.
For more information on Federal postpartum legislation, please see the Perinatal Pro Weekly Blog at http://perinatalpro.com/. This week's highlights include:
The MOTHERS Act now passed in Senate & Time Magazine includes Katherine Stone’s MOTHERS Act Letter among Best of the Year
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
AB 159 to become a Concurrent Resolution + Research & Hearings
Welcome to the first of many posts which will address the current status of our public policy work around perinatal mood and anxiety disorders ("PMAD"). This blog is hosted by the Junior Leagues of California, State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC).
Julie Elginer our SPAC Co-Chair has been very busy working with leaders from various organizations, such as Postpartum Support International (PSI), the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AB 159 Co-sponsor) and the Perinatal Mental Health Task Force of L.A. County and L.A. Best Babies to formulate the right path for AB 159, "The Healthy Mother's Act," which became a two-year bill after stalling in appropriations due to it's too-high price tag in our ailing economy. With input from many, Nava's office was approached this week to present a new three-pronged plan:
1. Turn AB 159, into a Concurrent Resolution, much like the 2003 resolution, ACR 51. A CR specifies a specific issue for an awareness campaign generally for the month of the year in which it is introduced and passed. The resolution can also include "intent language," encouraging for example that named public agencies and/or private organizations work together or study an issue. It will do so without changing law. It's a very effective way to educate new members of the legislature on a particular topic, laying the foundation for future policy change.
2. Request Further Research on PMAD in California. We are in discussions with Nava's office about commissioning research through the California Research Bureau (CRB). If such research is conducted, it would become public record and be used by legislators and counsel when drafting future legislation.
3. Partner with Women's Groups to Hold Hearings
SPAC and our colleagues in the organizations mentioned above are in the process of outreaching organizations such as the Commission on the Status of Women and the Legislative Women's Caucus to discuss organizing hearings on PMAD which would allow survivors to tell their stories and practitioners/clinicians to discuss gaps in care and possible solutions and partnerships. We will work closely with various stakeholder groups to ensure that the right organizations and individuals testify and are invited to attend.
ACR 51
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/asm/ab_0051 0100/acr_51_bill_20030522_enrolled.html
SPAC represents 11,000 women throughout California advocating for women and children's issues in the areas of health, education, violence prevention and family support.
The Junior Leagues of California are organizations of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
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