III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 718 

Designating the week of July 19 through July 25, 2022, as ‘‘Black Maternal 

Mental Health Awareness Week’’ and supporting the goal of raising 

awareness and understanding around maternal mental health conditions 

as they affect Black individuals. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 25, 2022 

Mr. OSSOFF submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of July 19 through July 25, 2022, 

as ‘‘Black Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week’’ 

and supporting the goal of raising awareness and understanding around maternal mental health conditions as 

they affect Black individuals. 

Whereas 1 in 8 women and 1 in 6 Black women will suffer 

from a maternal mental health condition at some point 

during their lifetimes; 

Whereas maternal mental health and substance use disorder 

conditions initially present during pregnancy or the year 

following childbirth, stillbirth, or miscarriage, and include 

depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, psychosis, and other conditions; 


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•SRES 718 IS 

Whereas suicide and overdose caused by a maternal mental 

health or substance use disorder condition contribute to 

the rising maternal mortality rate; 

Whereas non-Hispanic Black individuals are 3 times more 

likely to have a maternal death than White individuals in 

the United States; 

Whereas untreated maternal mental health conditions cost 

the United States economy $14,200,000,000 each year 

due to productivity loss, preterm births, child behavioral 

and developmental costs, and other health-related costs; 

Whereas maternal mental health conditions impair mother-infant interactions causing negative behavioral, cognitive, 

and emotional impacts on the infant; 

Whereas untreated maternal depression during pregnancy 

leads to a higher risk of preterm and low birth weight delivery and infant mortality; 

Whereas many health professionals receive limited or no formal training on providing culturally appropriate maternity care in diverse communities; 

Whereas 50 percent of individuals with a maternal mental 

health condition never receive treatment, and Black 

women are less likely than White women to access or continue treatment, or refill a prescription for a maternal 

mental health condition; 

Whereas best practices for the prevention and treatment of 

maternal mental health conditions include collaborative 

and culturally and linguistically appropriate models of 

group prenatal or postpartum care; 

Whereas addressing maternal mental health conditions is integral in reaching the Healthy People 2030 goals of the 

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•SRES 718 IS 

cent reduction of the maternal mortality rate, maternal 

illnesses and complications due to pregnancy, and the 

preterm live birth rate; and 

Whereas more research on Black maternal mental health outcomes and care, existing State and other programs, and 

innovative maternity care models designed to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes is 

needed to inform evidence-based treatments, promote prevention and recovery support efforts, facilitate early identification, dispel stigmas and barriers to care, and provide insight on illness causation and the effects of maternal mental health conditions on infants and communities: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of July 19 through 

3 July 25, 2022, as ‘‘Black Maternal Mental Health 

4 Awareness Week’’; 

5 (2) supports the goals and ideals of Black Ma6 ternal Mental Health Awareness Week to raise pub7 lic awareness and understanding around maternal 

8 mental health conditions and their disproportionate 

9 impact on Black women and families; 

10 (3) recognizes the need for culturally and lin11 guistically appropriate prevention, intervention, 

12 treatment, and recovery support services for individ13 uals affected by maternal mental health conditions; 

14 (4) acknowledges the need for further research 

15 on maternal mental health treatment models that 


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•SRES 718 IS 

1 are effective in reducing racial and ethnic disparities 

2 in health outcomes; and 

3 (5) encourages Federal, State, and local govern4 ments and citizens of the United States— 

5 (A) to support Black Maternal Mental 

6 Health Awareness Week through programs and 

7 activities; and 

8 (B) to promote public awareness of mater9 nal mental health conditions as those conditions 

10 affect Black individuals. 

Æ 


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