Zonta International is a global organization of individuals dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. The Zonta USA Advocacy Action Center is a tool for our members in the United States and other individuals who share our commitment to gender equality to take action to improve the lives of women and girls. With your help, we can make a difference. In addition to the actions below, click here to support our joint efforts with UNICEF USA to end child marriage in the United States.
Each year in the United States, one in five women suffers from a mental health or substance-use disorder during the perinatal period, the time spanning pregnancy and the year after birth. Perinatal mental health (PMH) conditions are the leading cause of U.S. maternal mortality, responsible for 23% of such deaths. Often, the mental health needs of new moms fall behind as they adapt to life with a newborn, and this is amplified with military moms considering the mental strains they are up against in their day-to-day work. Studies have shown that active-duty service members and their spouses experience rates of perinatal mental health diagnoses nearly double that of the national average.
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the Maintaining our Obligation to Moms (MOMs) who Serve Act (S. 3641), bipartisan legislation that would provide mental health prevention programs and ensure that service women get the information and support they need before and after they give birth. This bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), also a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04) and Don Bacon (NE-02) introduced a companion bill in the House (H.R. 7087).
“Moms in military families suffer from maternal mental health conditions at higher rates than other Americans,” said Senator Fischer. “Our service members and their spouses deserve our support to help prevent and treat these conditions, which only grow more severe if ignored. Our bill will test the best ways to keep these new mothers healthy and prevent maternal mental health conditions before they start.”
The MOMS Act has been endorsed by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, the National Military Families Association and the Military Officers Association of America. The bill will also create an advisory committee comprised of service members and beneficiaries with lived experience as well as experts in the field to help ensure the most impactful pilot is established.
“Service women sacrifice so much for our nation—it’s our duty to ensure they have access to the best mental health care possible before and after they give birth,” said Senator Shaheen.
Please use our pre-drafted letters to urge your senators and representatives to co-sponsor and support the MOMS who Serve Act. If they have already sponsored or co-sponsored the bill, you can send a message of thanks.