{"id":31453,"date":"2024-01-26T16:06:37","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T16:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/26\/lawmakers-push-for-better-mental-health-care-for-new-moms\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:16:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:16:24","slug":"lawmakers-push-for-better-mental-health-care-for-new-moms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2024\/01\/26\/lawmakers-push-for-better-mental-health-care-for-new-moms\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers push for better mental health care for new moms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The leaders of a special House panel on military quality of life issues<\/a> are pushing the Defense Department to launch a new pilot program providing targeted mental health care to pregnant service members and new parents.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their proposal \u2014 the Maintaining Our Obligation to Moms who Serve Act \u2014 could be included among a host of expected quality of life proposals expected to be unveiled<\/a> by the House Armed Services Committee later this year. Comparison legislation was also introduced in the Senate on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a joint release announcing the plan, Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., <\/a>said the goal of the plan is \u201cto reduce the rates of poor mental health conditions among mothers in the military and improve the military readiness of service members.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair lead the committee\u2019s military quality of life panel, which for the last nine months has been interviewing troops, spouses and military leaders to determine how to fix gaps in benefits and support services for military families.<\/p>\n\n\n\t