On October 21, 2025, legislation was heard by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary with the potential to make Massachusetts the second state in the nation to put treatment before punishment for birthing people with acute Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) including postpartum psychosis (PPP) who find themselves involved in the criminal justice system.
Lee S. Cohen, MD, Director of the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health, joined advocates, moms, and their families to testify in support of this legislation. He notes, “The bill under consideration is not a free pass. Its provisions essentially place appropriate evaluation and treatment into the mix.” Watch his testimony below:
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE WELL-BEING OF NEW MOTHERS AND INFANTS (H.1924/S.1171) sponsored by Representative Jim O’Day and Senator Joan B. Lovely would add compassion and fairness to our criminal justice system by:
- Providing evaluation by an expert in reproductive psychiatry when a defendant has given birth in the 12 months prior to an alleged crime,
- Diverting moms to treatment if necessary,
- Considering postpartum psychosis as a mitigating factor in sentencing in the most serious cases, and
- Allowing for resentencing in cases where postpartum psychosis was a factor but was not considered.
Help build support for this critical legislation by writing to your state legislators today to urge them to sign onto An Act relative to the well-being of new mothers and infants!
New mothers charged with crimes would get mental health screenings, treatments under bill (GBH)
Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD
