---
title: SB 308. Medical Assistance; Medicaid coverage of postpartum maternal mental health care services; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb308
cite_as: SB 308, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb308
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb308.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb308/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71007
date: 2025-02-28
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
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: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb308.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 308
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-27
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Nabilah Islam Parkes
- Harold Jones
- Jason Esteves
- Elena Parent
- Sonya Halpern
- Nan Orrock
- RaShaun Kemp
- Sally Harrell
- Gail Davenport
- Tonya Anderson
- David Lucas
- Nikki Merritt
- Randal Mangham
- Derek Mallow
- Ed Harbison
- Michael Rhett
- Donzella James
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB308/2025
upstream_id: 1987879
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- Medicaid coverage
- postpartum care
- maternal mental health
- women's health
---
# SB 308. Medical Assistance; Medicaid coverage of postpartum maternal mental health care services; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 308
By: Senators Islam Parkes of the 7th, Jones II of the 22nd, Esteves of the 35th, Parent of the
44th, Halpern of the 39th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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 Medicaid coverage of
postpartum maternal mental health care services; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
medical assistance generally, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section
49-4-159, relating to Medicaid coverage for lactation and postpartum care, as follows:
"(a) The department shall provide Medicaid coverage for:
(1) Lactation care and services, as defined in paragraph (5) of Code Section 43-22A-3,
to pregnant and lactating women and to children who are breastfeeding or receiving their
mother's milk; and
(2) Postpartum care for mothers for a period of one year following the date the
pregnancy ends; and
(3) Postpartum mental health care services for mothers, including screenings for
depression and anxiety, and maternal mental health support for a period of one year
following the date the pregnancy ends."
SECTION 2.
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.
A Georgia Senate bill would require Medicaid to cover postpartum mental health care, including depression and anxiety screenings, for new mothers for a full year after pregnancy ends.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's Medicaid program currently covers lactation support and general postpartum care for mothers for one year after a pregnancy ends, under O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159. This bill adds a new category of coverage to that same law: postpartum mental health care services.
Under the bill, the Georgia Department of Community Health would have to provide Medicaid coverage for screenings for depression and anxiety, along with broader maternal mental health support, for mothers during the year following the end of a pregnancy. This runs alongside the existing lactation and postpartum care coverage already required by the law. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not list a separate effective date in the text provided.
### What it does
- Adds postpartum mental health care services, including depression and anxiety screenings, to the list of care Medicaid must cover for new mothers.
- Extends that mental health coverage for one year following the date a pregnancy ends, matching the existing postpartum care window.
- Keeps the existing Medicaid requirements for lactation care and general postpartum care in O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159 unchanged.
- Repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with the new mental health coverage requirement.
### Who it affects
New mothers enrolled in Georgia Medicaid, the Georgia Department of Community Health, which administers Medicaid coverage, and health care providers who screen for or treat postpartum depression and anxiety.
### Why it matters
Mothers on Medicaid would gain a guaranteed year of coverage for depression and anxiety screenings and mental health support after childbirth, potentially making it easier to get diagnosed and treated for postpartum mental health conditions without facing separate coverage barriers.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159(a) to add a new paragraph (3) requiring Medicaid coverage of postpartum mental health care services.
- The new coverage includes screenings for depression and anxiety and maternal mental health support.
- Coverage runs for one year following the date the pregnancy ends, the same period already used for postpartum care and lactation coverage under the existing law.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws but does not add other administrative detail.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-27)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Nabilah Islam Parkes, Harold Jones, Jason Esteves, Elena Parent, Sonya Halpern, Nan Orrock, RaShaun Kemp, Sally Harrell, Gail Davenport, Tonya Anderson, David Lucas, Nikki Merritt, Randal Mangham, Derek Mallow, Ed Harbison, Michael Rhett, Donzella James
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71007
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb308.md?full=1