Trenton, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers moved forward Monday with legislation that would require broader education and screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and after childbirth, expanding the role of doctors, nurse midwives, and birthing facilities in identifying mental health risks affecting new and expectant mothers.
The Assembly Health Committee approved Assembly Bill No. 947 with amendments on March 9, 2026, revising how health care providers would screen patients and what information hospitals and medical professionals must provide. If enacted, the bill would take effect six months after becoming law.
The proposal focuses on increasing awareness and early detection of conditions that can develop during or after pregnancy, including postpartum depression, anxiety disorders, and related mental health complications.
Under the amended legislation, physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals providing prenatal care would be required to give patients evidence-based information about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and conduct screenings using nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines.
Bill Broadens Mental Health Education Requirements
The legislation would also require every birthing facility in New Jersey to provide postpartum patients with evidence-based educational materials about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders following childbirth.
Health care professionals offering postnatal care would need to screen new mothers using evidence-based clinical guidelines, replacing earlier versions of the bill that mandated screenings at specific intervals during pregnancy and immediately before discharge from hospitals.
Lawmakers revised the bill to give providers more flexibility in determining how and when screenings should occur while still requiring the use of nationally recognized practices.
The committee statement noted that the amendments removed references to a single screening tool — the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, or PASS — and instead acknowledged guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stating that “many validated tools are available” for screening patients.
Key Points
• New Jersey bill would expand prenatal and postpartum mental health screening
• Birthing facilities must provide education on perinatal mood disorders
• Committee amendments removed mandatory use of a single screening tool
Committee Changes Shift Focus to Evidence-Based Guidelines
Several significant revisions were made before the committee advanced the bill.
Lawmakers replaced the narrower term “perinatal anxiety” throughout the legislation with the broader phrase “perinatal mood and anxiety disorders,” widening the scope of conditions covered under the measure.
The committee also removed language that would have required prenatal patients to be screened during every trimester of pregnancy. Instead, providers would screen patients “as appropriate” under evidence-based clinical guidelines.
Another amendment eliminated a proposal directing the Commissioner of Health, the State Board of Medical Examiners, and the New Jersey Board of Nursing to jointly develop statewide screening policies with health care facilities.
The revised bill also removed language requiring fathers and other family members to participate in patient education and treatment discussions.
Supporters of the changes argued that aligning the bill with flexible clinical standards may allow providers to tailor screenings to individual patient needs while still ensuring broader access to mental health evaluations.
Public Awareness Campaign Included if Funding Available
Beyond clinical settings, the legislation would require the New Jersey Commissioner of Health to develop a statewide public awareness campaign if sufficient funding becomes available.
According to the committee statement, the campaign would educate the public about the “nature, causes, and health implications” of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including symptoms and ways to relieve them.
Mental health advocates have increasingly pushed for expanded postpartum screening nationwide as maternal mental health concerns gain more attention from lawmakers and medical organizations. Perinatal mood disorders can affect patients during pregnancy or after childbirth and may include depression, anxiety, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and other conditions.
Medical experts have warned that untreated maternal mental health conditions can affect both parents and infants, contributing to long-term health and developmental consequences.
The bill does not establish new penalties for providers or facilities that fail to comply, but it would place new educational and screening responsibilities on professionals involved in prenatal and postpartum care.
Next Steps for the Legislation
Assembly Bill No. 947 was pre-filed for the 2026–2027 legislative session and underwent technical review before committee approval.
The legislation must still move through additional stages in the New Jersey Legislature before reaching the governor’s desk.
If signed into law, the measure would take effect six months after enactment, giving hospitals, birthing centers, and medical providers time to implement updated screening and education procedures.
Current status: Assembly Bill No. 947 has been released by the Assembly Health Committee with amendments and awaits further consideration in the New Jersey Legislature.
