Perinatal health screenings and treatment.
- Requires healthcare providers to screen and treat patients for mental health conditions throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
- Mandates health plans to provide case management and care coordination during the perinatal period.
- Requires insurance coverage for FDA-approved mental health medication and digital therapeutics starting January 2026.
- Establishes annual reporting requirements for health plans to track mental health program outcomes.
Senator Smallwood-Cuevas's perinatal mental health legislation expands California's maternal mental health screening and treatment requirements while mandating new insurance coverage for related medications and digital therapeutics. The measure modifies existing health codes to broaden the scope of care from "maternal" to "perinatal" mental health conditions, encompassing pregnancy, postpartum, and interpregnancy periods.
Health plans and insurers must implement comprehensive perinatal mental health programs aligned with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines, including screening protocols and case management services. Starting January 2026, plans must cover at least one FDA-approved medication and digital therapeutic for perinatal mental health conditions. The legislation requires providers to screen, diagnose and treat patients according to clinical guidelines, while plans must report annually on case management utilization and outcomes.
The measure applies to most health plans and insurers, excluding specialized plans except those offering behavioral health services. Medi-Cal managed care plans must obtain federal approvals and maintain compliance with Department of Health Care Services quality measures. The provisions create new reporting and transparency requirements, with plans required to publicly post outcome data on their websites.
This bill was recently introduced. Email the authors to let them know what you think about it.
Introduced By
 Shannon GroveR Senator | Committee Member |  Not Contacted | |
 Scott WienerD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Tim GraysonD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Monique LimonD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Maria DurazoD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
- Requires healthcare providers to screen and treat patients for mental health conditions throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
- Mandates health plans to provide case management and care coordination during the perinatal period.
- Requires insurance coverage for FDA-approved mental health medication and digital therapeutics starting January 2026.
- Establishes annual reporting requirements for health plans to track mental health program outcomes.
This bill was recently introduced. Email the authors to let them know what you think about it.
Introduced By
Senator Smallwood-Cuevas's perinatal mental health legislation expands California's maternal mental health screening and treatment requirements while mandating new insurance coverage for related medications and digital therapeutics. The measure modifies existing health codes to broaden the scope of care from "maternal" to "perinatal" mental health conditions, encompassing pregnancy, postpartum, and interpregnancy periods.
Health plans and insurers must implement comprehensive perinatal mental health programs aligned with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines, including screening protocols and case management services. Starting January 2026, plans must cover at least one FDA-approved medication and digital therapeutic for perinatal mental health conditions. The legislation requires providers to screen, diagnose and treat patients according to clinical guidelines, while plans must report annually on case management utilization and outcomes.
The measure applies to most health plans and insurers, excluding specialized plans except those offering behavioral health services. Medi-Cal managed care plans must obtain federal approvals and maintain compliance with Department of Health Care Services quality measures. The provisions create new reporting and transparency requirements, with plans required to publicly post outcome data on their websites.
Shannon GroveR Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Scott WienerD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Tim GraysonD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Monique LimonD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Maria DurazoD Senator | Committee Member | Not Contacted |