ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 947

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 9, 2026

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 947.

The bill, as amended, provides for increased public education and patient screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The amended bill requires physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide prenatal care to provide prenatal patients with evidence-based information on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and screen prenatal patients for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, as appropriate, using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. 

     All birthing facilities will be required to provide postpartum patients with evidence-based information about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  Physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals who provide postnatal care also will be required to screen new mothers for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. 

      Provided there is sufficient funding available, the bill requires the Commissioner of Health to develop a public awareness campaign to inform the general public about the nature, causes, and health implications of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including symptoms and methods of relieving symptoms.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments replace the term “perinatal anxiety” with the term “perinatal mood and anxiety disorders,” throughout the bill.

      The committee amendments replace a reference to the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) with a statement that, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, many validated tools are available to screen for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

      The committee amendments remove a requirement that the Commissioner of Health, in conjunction with the State Board of Medical Examiners and the New Jersey Board of Nursing work with health care facilities and health care professionals to develop policies and procedures to educate and screen postpartum patients for perinatal anxiety.

      The committee amendments provide that physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care providers who provide prenatal care will provide prenatal patients with evidence-based information about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and screen prenatal patients for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, rather than requiring that these health care providers screen prenatal patients at least once during each trimester of pregnancy.

      The committee amendments require all birthing facilities in the State to provide postpartum patients with evidence-based information on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and remove a requirement that information also be provided on the symptoms of the disorder and a list of treatment resources.

      The committee amendments remove a requirement that  physicians, nurse midwives, and other health care professionals who provide postnatal care must screen new mothers for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders prior to discharge from a birthing facility and again at the postnatal checkups.  Instead, these health care professionals will screen new mothers using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. 

      The committee amendments remove a requirement that health care professionals providing prenatal or postnatal care include fathers and other family members in the education and treatment process for patients with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

      The committee amendments remove a requirement that perinatal mood and anxiety disorder screening be conducted using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, and instead requires that the screening be done using nationally recognized, evidence-based practices.

      The committee amendments revise the synopsis and provide that the bill will take effect six months following the date of enactment, instead of immediately.