IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 20 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 16, 2007 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions 
AN ACT 
To provide for research on, and services for individuals with, 
postpartum depression and psychosis. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Melanie Blocker- 
Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) Postpartum depression is a devastating 
mood disorder which strikes many women during 
and after pregnancy. 
(2) Postpartum mood changes are common and 
can be broken into three subgroups: ‘‘baby blues’’, 
which is an extremely common and the less severe 
form of postpartum depression; postpartum mood 
and anxiety disorders, which are more severe than 
baby blues and can occur during pregnancy and any-
time within the first year of the infant’s birth; and 
postpartum psychosis, which is the most extreme 
form of postpartum depression and can occur during 
pregnancy and up to 12 months after delivery. 
(3) ‘‘Baby blues’’ is characterized by mood 
swings, feelings of being overwhelmed, tearfulness, 
irritability, poor sleep, mood changes, and a sense of 
vulnerability. 
(4) The symptoms of postpartum mood and 
anxiety disorders are the worsening and the continu-
ation of the baby blues beyond the first days or 
weeks after delivery. 
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(5) The symptoms of postpartum psychosis in-
clude losing touch with reality, distorted thinking, 
delusions, auditory hallucinations, paranoia, hyper-
activity, and rapid speech or mania. 
(6) Each year over 400,000 women suffer from 
postpartum mood changes, with baby blues afflicting 
up to 80 percent of new mothers; postpartum mood 
and anxiety disorders impairing around 10 to 20 
percent of new mothers; and postpartum psychosis 
striking 1 in 1,000 new mothers. 
(7) Postpartum depression is a treatable dis-
order if promptly diagnosed by a trained provider 
and attended to with a personalized regimen of care 
including social support, therapy, medication, and 
when necessary hospitalization. 
(8) All too often postpartum depression goes 
undiagnosed or untreated due to the social stigma 
surrounding depression and mental illness, the myth 
of motherhood, the new mother’s inability to self-di-
agnose her condition, the new mother’s shame or 
embarrassment over discussing her depression so 
near to the birth of her child, the lack of under-
standing in society and the medical community of 
the complexity of postpartum depression, and eco-
nomic pressures placed on hospitals and providers. 
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(9) Untreated, postpartum depression can lead 
to further depression, substance abuse, loss of em-
ployment, divorce and further social alienation, self- 
destructive behavior, or even suicide. 
(10) Untreated, postpartum depression impacts 
society through its effect on the infant’s physical 
and psychological development, child abuse, neglect, 
or death of the infant or other siblings, and the dis-
ruption of the family. 
TITLE 
I—RESEARCH 
ON 
POSTPARTUM 
DEPRESSION 
AND PSYCHOSIS 
SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVI-
TIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, acting through the Director of the Na-
tional Institutes of Health and the Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Mental Health (in this title referred to 
as the ‘‘Institute’’), is encouraged to continue aggressive 
work on postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTES.—The 
Director of the Institute should continue to coordinate ac-
tivities of the Director under subsection (a) with similar 
activities conducted by the other national research insti-
tutes and agencies of the National Institutes of Health 
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to the extent that such Institutes and agencies have re-
sponsibilities that are related to postpartum conditions. 
(c) PROGRAMS FOR POSTPARTUM CONDITIONS.—In 
carrying out subsection (a), the Director of the Institute 
is encouraged to continue research to expand the under-
standing of the causes of, and to find a cure for, 
postpartum conditions. Activities under such subsection 
shall include conducting and supporting the following: 
(1) Basic research concerning the etiology and 
causes of the conditions. 
(2) Epidemiological studies to address the fre-
quency and natural history of the conditions and the 
differences among racial and ethnic groups with re-
spect to the conditions. 
(3) The development of improved screening and 
diagnostic techniques. 
(4) Clinical research for the development and 
evaluation of new treatments, including new biologi-
cal agents. 
(5) Information and education programs for 
health care professionals and the public. 
SEC. 102. NATIONAL PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National In-
stitutes of Health and the Administrator of the Health 
Resources and Services Administration are encouraged to 
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carry out a coordinated national campaign to increase the 
awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and 
postpartum psychosis. 
(b) PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.—Activities 
under the national campaign under subsection (a) may in-
clude public service announcements through television, 
radio, and other means. 
SEC. 103. BIENNIAL REPORTING. 
Section 403(a)(5) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 283(a)(5)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as sub-
paragraph (M); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(L) Depression.’’. 
SEC. 104. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF RELATIVE MENTAL 
HEALTH CONSEQUENCES FOR WOMEN OF RE-
SOLVING A PREGNANCY. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Director of the Institute may conduct a na-
tionally representative longitudinal study (during the pe-
riod of fiscal years 2008 through 2018) of the relative 
mental health consequences for women of resolving a preg-
nancy (intended and unintended) in various ways, includ-
ing carrying the pregnancy to term and parenting the 
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child, carrying the pregnancy to term and placing the child 
for adoption, miscarriage, and having an abortion. This 
study may assess the incidence, timing, magnitude, and 
duration of the immediate and long-term mental health 
consequences (positive or negative) of these pregnancy 
outcomes. 
(b) REPORT.—Beginning not later than 3 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and periodically 
thereafter for the duration of the study under subsection 
(a), the Director of the Institute should prepare and sub-
mit to the Congress reports on the findings of the study. 
TITLE II—DELIVERY OF SERV-
ICES 
REGARDING 
POSTPARTUM 
DEPRESSION 
AND PSYCHOSIS 
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM OF GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this title referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) should in accordance with this title make grants 
to provide for projects for the establishment, operation, 
and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for 
the delivery of essential services to individuals with 
postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis (referred 
to in this section as a ‘‘postpartum condition’’) and their 
families. 
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(b) RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS.—A grant under sub-
section (a) may be made to an entity only if the entity 
is a public or nonprofit private entity, which may include 
a State or local government; a public or nonprofit private 
hospital, community-based organization, hospice, ambula-
tory care facility, community health center, migrant health 
center, or homeless health center; or any other appropriate 
public or nonprofit private entity. 
(c) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—To the extent practicable 
and appropriate, the Secretary shall ensure that projects 
under subsection (a) provide services for the diagnosis and 
management of postpartum conditions. Activities that the 
Secretary may authorize for such projects may also in-
clude the following: 
(1) Delivering or enhancing outpatient and 
home-based health and support services, including 
case management, screening, 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 man-
agement services that ensure the well-being of the 
mother and family and the future development of 
the infant. 
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(3) Improving the quality, availability, and or-
ganization of health care and support services (in-
cluding transportation services, attendant care, 
homemaker services, day or respite care, and pro-
viding counseling on financial assistance and insur-
ance) for individuals with postpartum conditions and 
support services for their families. 
(d) INTEGRATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS.—To the 
extent practicable and appropriate, the Secretary should 
integrate the program under this title with other grant 
programs carried out by the Secretary, including the pro-
gram under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. 
SEC. 202. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS. 
A grant may be made under section 201 only if the 
applicant involved makes the following agreements: 
(1) Not more than 5 percent of the grant will 
be used for administration, accounting, reporting, 
and program oversight functions. 
(2) The grant will be used to supplement and 
not supplant funds from other sources related to the 
treatment of postpartum conditions. 
(3) The applicant will abide by any limitations 
deemed appropriate by the Secretary on any charges 
to individuals receiving services pursuant to the 
grant. As deemed appropriate by the Secretary, such 
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limitations on charges may vary based on the finan-
cial circumstances of the individual receiving serv-
ices. 
(4) The grant will not be expended to make 
payment for services authorized under section 
201(a) to the extent that payment has been made, 
or can reasonably be expected to be made, with re-
spect to such services— 
(A) under any State compensation pro-
gram, under an insurance policy, or under any 
Federal or State health benefits program; or 
(B) by an entity that provides health serv-
ices on a prepaid basis. 
(5) The applicant will, at each site at which the 
applicant provides services under section 201(a), 
post a conspicuous notice informing individuals who 
receive the services of any Federal policies that 
apply to the applicant with respect to the imposition 
of charges on such individuals. 
SEC. 203. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
The Secretary may provide technical assistance to as-
sist entities in complying with the requirements of this 
title in order to make such entities eligible to receive 
grants under section 201. 
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TITLE III—GENERAL 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
To carry out this Act and the amendments made by 
this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated— 
(1) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and 
(2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal 
years 2009 and 2010. 
Passed the House of Representatives October 15, 
2007. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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