---
title: HB 1346. Georgia Maternal Mental Health Improvement Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1346
cite_as: HB 1346, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1346
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1346.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1346/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73288
date: 2026-02-26
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 199
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1346.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1346
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-17
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
sponsors:
- Anissa Jones
- Carolyn Hugley
- Tangie Herring
- Todd Jones
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1346/2025
upstream_id: 2118563
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- maternal mental health
- postpartum depression
- health insurance coverage
- Medicaid
- perinatal care
---
# HB 1346. Georgia Maternal Mental Health Improvement Act; enact
## Text
The House Committee on Health offers the following substitute to HB 1346:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to insurance, so as to provide for coverage for comprehensive
maternal mental health screening and care; to provide for such screenings at specific points
during and after pregnancy as deemed necessary by a physician or other healthcare provider;
to provide for additional screening; to provide for referral information and resources and
educational materials regarding perinatal mood and anxiety disorders; to provide for a pilot
program; to provide for funding; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for reports;
to amend Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to medical assistance generally, so as to provide for maternal mental health
screenings for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders; to provide for related matters; to
provide for legislative findings; to provide for a short title; to provide for an effective date
and applicability; to provide for contingent effectiveness upon appropriation of funds; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Georgia has prioritized advancements in access to mental health care and addressing
issues of maternal health and maternal mortality;
(2) The largest demographic of Americans grappling with depression is women of
childbearing age. The mental well-being of women before, during, and after giving birth
is a matter of significant concern for women, their families, their communities, and their
healthcare providers. This issue is of particular interest to the General Assembly in that
it has far-reaching impact on the public health and the welfare of people in this state;
(3) Maternal mental health conditions are among the most common complications of
pregnancy and childbirth;
(4) Statistics from experts in the field show that one in five perinatal women will
experience mood and anxiety disorders at some time during the period spanning from
pregnancy through 12 months after the birth of a child;
(5) Maternal depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders can be debilitating
conditions, but they are treatable if properly diagnosed;
(6) Early identification and treatment of maternal mental health conditions significantly
improves outcomes for mothers and children;
(7) Children born to mothers with untreated depression face a higher likelihood of
encountering developmental challenges and increased utilization of medical and mental
health services throughout their lives;
(8) It is imperative, then, in order to protect and promote public health and welfare, to
ensure the prompt diagnosis and treatment of women experiencing postpartum depression
or other maternal mental health disorders;
(9) The American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, the American College of Nurse Midwives, and the American Academy of
Pediatrics recommend perinatal mental health screenings at certain intervals for all
pregnant and postpartum women;
(10) Universal maternal mental health screening questionnaires test for the presence of
prenatal or postpartum mood disorders through validated, evidence based tools;
(11) These screening questionnaires are available at little to no cost;
(12) In order to preserve and promote maternal health and strong families, it is
imperative that the State of Georgia provide access to periodic mental health screening
questionnaires for women throughout and after their pregnancies; and
(13) There is a critical need to ensure equitable access to maternal mental health
screening and care across Georgia, particularly in rural and other underserved
communities.
SECTION 2.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Maternal Mental Health
Improvement Act."
SECTION 3.
Chapter 1 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions relative to insurance, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"33-1-28.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Maternal mental health screening' means the use of an independent, evidence based
screening instrument that is in accordance with nationally recognized clinical practice
guidelines developed by independent organizations or medical professional societies
utilizing a transparent methodology and reporting structure and with a conflict-of-interest
policy. Such guidelines establish standards of care informed by a systematic review of
evidence and an assessment of the benefits and risks of alternative care options and
include recommendations intended to optimize patient care.
(2) 'Medically necessary' has the same meaning as in Code Section 33-1-27.
(3) 'Mental healthcare provider' means any person licensed under Title 43 to provide
prenatal, labor and delivery, or postpartum care, including without limitation physicians,
psychiatrists, psychologists, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants,
licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors and marriage and
family therapists.
(4) 'Telehealth services' means services provided via two-way, real-time interactive
communication between a patient and a mental healthcare provider at a distant site
through telecommunications equipment, which services are compliant with federal Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy, security, and
breach notification rules.
(b) Each health benefit policy issued, delivered, or renewed in this state shall provide
coverage for medically necessary:
(1) Maternal mental health screening during the prenatal period and 12 months
postpartum; and
(2) Care and treatment for those screenings positive for maternal mental health
conditions.
(c) All of the services provided in this Code section shall be covered whether provided in
person or through telehealth services.
(d) The provisions of this Code section shall apply to all policies, contracts, and
certificates executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on
or after January 1, 2027."
SECTION 4.
Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
medical assistance generally, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"49-4-159.5.
(a) Except in cases where the woman refuses the maternal mental health screening, a
pregnant or postpartum woman seeking healthcare from a physician or other healthcare
provider may be screened for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, as determined
necessary:
(1) At the pregnant woman's first prenatal visit;
(2) When the pregnant woman is between 28 to 32 weeks' gestation;
(3) Between delivery and discharge from the facility where the pregnant woman gives
birth;
(4) At the woman's six-week postpartum obstetrical visit;
(5) If there is a pregnancy loss and at the follow-up obstetric visit after such loss; and
(6) At a pediatric visit occurring when the infant is three months of age or, if there is no
such visit, at the postpartum woman's healthcare visit any time from three months to one
year after pregnancy loss or delivery.
(b) The right to refuse the mental health screening described in subsection (a) of this Code
section shall not exist for a patient determined by the physician or other healthcare provider
to be mentally incompetent.
(c)(1) The maternal mental health screening provided for in subsection (a) of this Code
section may be conducted by the physician or other healthcare provider who is providing
prenatal, obstetric, or postpartum care of the pregnant woman or pediatric care of the
woman's infant, as deemed necessary by such physician or healthcare provider.
Appropriate information and resources addressing perinatal mood or anxiety disorders
shall be provided during such screenings, including referrals, as clinically appropriate,
to licensed mental health professionals, community health workers, home visiting
programs, peer support specialists, social workers, and other community based providers
capable of addressing behavioral health and related social needs. When feasible, such
referrals shall include coordination to ensure timely follow-up care. Each such screening
may utilize questionnaires that conform with nationally recognized clinical practice
guidelines and may be used for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate
management, or ongoing monitoring of a woman's mental health, well-being, disease, or
condition as supported by medical and scientific evidence.
(2) Additional maternal mental health screenings, which may be refused, may be
conducted at any other point during the pregnancy or the postpartum period as deemed
necessary by the physician or other healthcare provider. Appropriate referral information
and resources addressing perinatal mood or anxiety disorders may be provided during
such screenings.
(d) A physician or other healthcare provider who provides obstetric or pediatric care may
provide educational materials through electronic or other means on the signs and symptoms
of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to pregnant and postpartum women under his or
her care, or to mothers of children under his or her care, as deemed necessary by such
physician or healthcare provider.
(e) This Code section shall not preclude any other healthcare provider acting within his or
her scope of practice from screening for maternal mental health conditions or from
providing referral information and resources or educational materials on perinatal mood
and anxiety disorders.
(f) The department shall establish a comprehensive quality metrics program that includes
the following:
(1) Process measures, including but not limited to:
(A) Percentage of eligible patients screened at each required interval;
(B) Time from positive screen to first behavioral health contact;
(C) Completion rates for referrals to behavioral health services; and
(D) Utilization rates of telehealth services;
(2) Outcome measures, including but not limited to:
(A) Rates of postpartum depression and anxiety identification;
(B) Emergency department utilization for mental health concerns;
(C) Psychiatric hospitalization rates; and
(D) Duration of treatment engagement;
(3) Equity measures, including but not limited to:
(A) Screening and treatment rates stratified by race, ethnicity, and geographic location;
and
(B) Disparities in access to care and outcomes; and
(4) Patient experience measures, including but not limited to:
(A) Satisfaction with screening process;
(B) Perceived barriers to care; and
(C) Experiences with telehealth services.
(g) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly or receipt of other funding for such
purpose, the department shall establish a three-year pilot program for remote maternal
mental health screening and monitoring no later than January 1, 2027, that shall:
(1) Prioritize high-risk populations and rural communities;
(2) Include telehealth services;
(3) Integrate with existing maternal health programs including home visiting services;
and
(4) Collect data on program effectiveness and barriers to care.
(h) The department may allocate sufficient funds to support:
(1) Technology infrastructure and support;
(2) Provider training and technical assistance; and
(3) Program evaluation and reporting.
(i) The department shall:
(1) Promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this Code section;
(2) Establish a process for monitoring compliance; and
(3) Report annually to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House
Committees on Health and Public Health on the implementation progress and outcomes
of the requirements of this Code section.
(j) The annual report provided in subsection (i) of this Code section shall be required from
July 1, 2027, through July 1, 2029.
(k) To implement the provisions of this Code section, the department shall, when
necessary, submit a Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver request to the United States
Department of Health and Human Services."
SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027, only if prior to such date, funds are
specifically appropriated for the purposes of this Act in an appropriations Act making
specific reference to this Act.
SECTION 6.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 1346 would require Georgia health insurance plans to cover maternal mental health screenings and treatment, and would set up screening guidelines and a pilot telehealth program for Medicaid patients.
### Plain-language summary
HB 1346, called the Georgia Maternal Mental Health Improvement Act, addresses postpartum depression and other mood and anxiety disorders that can occur during and after pregnancy. It requires private health insurance policies issued or renewed in Georgia to cover medically necessary maternal mental health screenings from pregnancy through 12 months after birth, along with treatment for anything the screenings find, whether delivered in person or by telehealth. That insurance requirement applies to policies starting January 1, 2027.
Separately, the bill adds a new Medicaid-related law setting out specific points, such as the first prenatal visit and the six week postpartum checkup, when doctors may screen pregnant and postpartum women for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and requires the Department of Community Health to track quality metrics, run a three-year pilot program for remote screening, and report yearly to legislative health committees from 2027 through 2029. The whole act only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates money for it in a future budget bill.
### What it does
- Requires private health insurance plans in Georgia to cover medically necessary maternal mental health screenings from pregnancy through 12 months postpartum, plus treatment, starting January 1, 2027.
- Sets specific checkpoints, such as the first prenatal visit, 28 to 32 weeks gestation, and the six week postpartum visit, when doctors may screen women for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
- Directs the Department of Community Health to build a quality metrics program tracking screening rates, referral follow-through, and disparities by race, ethnicity, and geography.
- Creates a three-year pilot program for remote (telehealth) maternal mental health screening, prioritizing high-risk populations and rural communities, to start by January 1, 2027.
- Requires the department to report annually to legislative health committees from July 2027 through July 2029 on how the new screening rules are working.
- Makes the entire act contingent on the General Assembly separately appropriating money for it in a future budget bill.
### Who it affects
Pregnant and postpartum women in Georgia and their families, private health insurers and the policies they issue, physicians and other licensed healthcare providers (including nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors), the Department of Community Health, and rural or underserved communities targeted by the new pilot program.
### Why it matters
If funded and enacted, more Georgia women would get routine screening and covered treatment for postpartum depression and anxiety, conditions linked to worse outcomes for mothers and children when left untreated. Insurance coverage and a rural telehealth pilot could expand access, particularly in areas with fewer mental health providers.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 lists legislative findings on the prevalence and impact of untreated maternal mental health conditions, citing that one in five perinatal women experience mood or anxiety disorders.
- Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 33-1-28, requiring insurance coverage for maternal mental health screening and follow-up care, in person or via telehealth, for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.
- Section 4 adds O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159.5, listing six specific points in pregnancy and after birth when screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders may occur, and allows patients to refuse screening unless found mentally incompetent.
- Section 4 also requires the Department of Community Health to build quality metrics covering process, outcomes, equity, and patient experience, and to launch a three-year remote screening pilot program by January 1, 2027.
- Section 4 requires annual reports to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and House Health and Public Health Committees from July 2027 through July 2029.
- Section 5 makes the entire act's effective date, January 1, 2027, contingent on the General Assembly specifically appropriating funds for it.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-17)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (2026-02-26)
- Sponsors: Anissa Jones, Carolyn Hugley, Tangie Herring, Todd Jones
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73288
> The history, votes, and amendments (199 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1346.md?full=1