Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced proposals Tuesday aimed at improving postpartum healthcare for new parents across the state, including free home visits by nurses for all families with newborns and updated regulations for mental health screenings of new mothers. The initiative follows the widely publicized murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, whose defense attorneys argued she was suffering from unresolved postpartum psychosis when she killed her three young children in 2023.
Healey, speaking at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, stated, "To every mom who has struggled with her mental health before, during or after pregnancy, I want you to know we see you — I see you." She emphasized the need for more open conversations about maternal mental health, referencing a maternal health law she signed in 2024 that expanded access to doulas, midwives, birth centers, and mandated insurer coverage for postpartum depression screenings.
Clancy's trial highlighted the complexities of postpartum mental health. Both the prosecution and defense agreed that Clancy killed her children and then attempted suicide by jumping from a second-floor window, leaving her paralyzed. Her defense claimed she lacked criminal responsibility due to postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors contended she was aware her actions were wrong. A mistrial was declared when jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.
The governor plans to request $2 million from state lawmakers to fund a program offering nurse home visits to all of Massachusetts' approximately 68,000 newborns annually. Participation would be voluntary, with nurses providing support on infant care, feeding, and sleep, while also monitoring the mother's postpartum health and screening for mental health issues. Healey noted this would be the first state investment in a program currently serving about 3,000 families yearly through federal funding.
Additionally, Healey proposed a $250,000 investment in the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms and directed the state Department of Public Health to update regulations concerning perinatal mental health screenings. Healey acknowledged that while childbirth can be joyous, it is also challenging, describing the postpartum period as potentially exhausting, isolating, and overwhelming for new mothers.
Massachusetts has a history of leading in healthcare access, with its 2006 health care law serving as a precursor to the federal Affordable Care Act. However, gaps in maternal care persist. Data from the state's maternal mortality review committee indicates that mental illness, including substance use disorder, was the leading underlying cause of death for pregnant women and new mothers in Massachusetts between 2019 and 2024, accounting for 38% of fatalities. The committee also found that 85% of these deaths were preventable, with over half occurring between seven days and one year after childbirth.