Committee approves amendment requiring Dept. of Health to collaborate on maternal mental‑health continuing education

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved an amendment to a medical occupations bill that requires the Department of Health to collaborate with professional boards to identify or create a continuing education program on maternal mental health and for those boards to accept that course for continuing‑education credit.

Sen. Lamar described the amendment as directing the Department of Health to work with the Board of Medical Examiners, the Board of Osteopathic Examination and the Board of Psychology to provide training or information on maternal mental health. The language also requires the involved boards to accept the course as continuing education credit and to periodically update the curriculum to reflect new research. The sponsor told the committee the Department already has material to offer the coursework, and on that basis the bill was reported with a fiscal note described as not significant.

Sen. Massey and other members voiced support and emphasized the bill’s intent to improve maternal health education for clinicians while noting the distinction between the bill’s policy significance and a ‘not significant’ fiscal note. The committee approved the amendment and moved the bill to the calendar by voice and roll call; the committee recorded nine ayes.

The amendment text is recorded in committee files as amendment 4786. The bill will next appear on the Senate calendar for further floor action.