HARRISBURG (April 25, 2017) – Senate Bill 200, an amendment to the Early Intervention Services System Act of 1990 which supports mothers and their babies facing postpartum depression, was approved today by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. #StrongMomStrongBaby was developed by Campaign for What Works to advocate for this legislation. SB 200 adds postpartum depression as a qualifying condition to place children in the at-risk category for early intervention assessment, tracking, and if needed, early intervention services. Senator Camera Bartlotta and Senator Judith L. Schwank co-sponsored the legislation. “This legislation will help educate the public about the seriousness of this condition,” said Senator Bartolotta. “It will also allow health professionals and social workers to monitor the children of mothers with postpartum depression and, if necessary, provide health care interventions.” Approximately 15 percent of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression, according to research from the American Psychological Association. This means that in Pennsylvania 21,000 babies and their mothers are affected by this illness every year. A baby’s cognitive development can be adversely impacted when a mother suffers from postpartum depression, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. There is also an increased danger for child abuse and neglect which increases the cost of providing medical care to both the baby and mother. The bill improves access to early intervention services for children with a parent who has screened at high risk for postpartum depression. The baby and mother will be referred to their county’s early intervention programs by a physician, health care provider or parent. Examples of other at-risk categories currently screened for by law include low-birth-weight children; children cared for in neonatal intensive care units; children who are homeless; children born to chemically dependent mothers; and children with confirmed dangerous levels of lead poisoning. "Every baby deserves a healthy start," Sen. Schwank said. "When babies of mothers with postpartum depression get the services they need, we not only help them but we avoid costlier issues later. This really makes sense for all of us."  The cost of identifying these mothers and getting them and their babies the help they need has been estimated at $900,000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The #StrongMomStrongBaby campaign is an initiative of the Campaign for What Works, a statewide initiative advocating for smart human service policies. The Campaign for What Works was founded by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and The Pittsburgh Foundation. More than 30 organizations from across the Commonwealth have joined the coalition supporting SB 200. To learn more about the #StrongMomStrongBaby coalition, the community is encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/StrongMomStrongBaby. About #StrongMomStrongBaby — #StrongMomStrongBaby is a statewide effort to amend the existing early intervention law (Act 212 of 1990) to add postpartum depression as an at-risk condition allowing infants to undergo assessments, parents to receive assistance in bonding with their babies, and if needed, early intervention services to ensure moms and babies have the best start together. About The Campaign for What Works — The Campaign for What Works is a statewide civic effort initiated by The Pittsburgh Foundation, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership and The Forbes Funds to ensure the future of our vital human service programs and, above all, the well-being of the people they serve.