On July 30, the Executive Council has the opportunity to reconsider a federally funded contract to study expanding access to postpartum maternal health care that they previously rejected. This funding would cost the state nothing to accept, and would make a world of difference for our moms across the Granite State. Maternal health is not a partisan issue. Postpartum mental health challenges affect one in five moms across the United States. Postpartum anxiety and depression are not just the “post-baby blues” – postpartum suicide is one of the leading causes of death for moms in this country. In New Hampshire, substance misuse and co-occurring mental health conditions are the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths.
The facts are clear: no state funds are used for this contract — it’s fully funded by the federal government and was competitively sourced and responsibly priced. If the council rejects it again, the funding that New Hampshire moms desperately need will go elsewhere. The three men on the council — Councilor Joseph Kenney, Councilor John Stephen, and Councilor David Wheeler — all dads, voted to reject the contract. The two women on the Council — Councilor Karen Liot Hill and Councilor Janet Stevens — both moms, voted to approve it. We’re asking Councilor Kenney, Councilor Stephen, and Councilor Wheeler: Don’t turn your backs on moms. Our moms take care of us – it’s time for us to take care of them.
Christina Warriner
Dover