Effective Nov. 1, Hospitals and Providers Required by Law to Educate on Perinatal Mental Health Disorders

Effective Nov. 1, Hospitals and Providers Required by Law to Educate on Perinatal Mental Health Disorders

Category: Maternal Issues, OPQIC

A new Oklahoma statute related to perinatal mental health went into effect November 1, 2019. This statute, from enrolled SB 419, requires Oklahoma hospitals and licensed health care professionals to educate their patients for perinatal mental health disorders. Licensed health care professionals are also required to screen for perinatal mental health disorders at prenatal, postnatal, and pediatric care visits.

Download more information about SB 419

How does this affect hospitals?

All hospitals that provide labor and delivery services shall provide to mothers, prior to discharge following childbirth, and, if possible, shall provide fathers and other family members with complete information about perinatal mental health disorders.  This information is to include symptoms, coping methods, and treatment resources available. Such information can be found in this patient handout from PSI.

How does this affect Licensed Health Care Professionals (LHCPs)?

Prenatal Care: LHCPs who are providing prenatal care shall provide education to women and, if possible and with permission, to their families about perinatal mental health disorders in accordance with the formal opinions and recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). LHCPs shall invite each pregnant patient to complete a validated assessment tool during a prenatal visit.  The assessment should be reviewed with the patient in accordance with the recommendations of the ACOG. The assessment should be repeated when a reasonable possibility exists that the woman suffers from a perinatal mental health disorder.

Postnatal Care: LHCPs who are providing postnatal care shall invite patients to complete a validated assessment tool during a postnatal visit.  This assessment should be reviewed with the patient in accordance with the recommendations of the ACOG.

Pediatric Care: LHCPs who are providing pediatric care to an infant at any well-baby checkup prior to the infant’s first birthday shall invite the mother to complete a validated assessment tool to ensure that the health and well-being of the infant are not compromised by an undiagnosed perinatal mental health disorder in the mother.  In order to share results from an assessment with the mother’s primary LHCP, consent should be obtained in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).  Consent is NOT required if the mother is determined to present an acute danger to herself or someone else.

 

Perinatal Mental Health Resources:

 

Validated Assessment Tools: