JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Representative Cora Faith Walker and other House members are fighting to address Missouri’s maternal opioid crisis in their districts and statewide with legislation that would extend postpartum healthcare.
Rep. Walker’s legislation, HB 1616, would extend Show-Me Health Babies coverage for substance abuse treatment up to a year after the end of a pregnancy. This bill was combined in committee with several other pieces of legislation offered by Reps. Martha Stevens, Marsha Haefner, and Jay Barnes to create a larger, more comprehensive piece of healthcare legislation.
“It’s encouraging to see my legislation, and all of these bills, moving through the process and a step closer to becoming law,” said Walker, D-Ferguson. “I’m optimistic that the bipartisan support for my bill will continue going forward. We already have a line item in the budget, which indicates the House is ready to support this much-needed change.”
The National Governor’s Association enlisted Missouri, along with four other states, to work on a collaborative project whose goal is to better serve pregnant and post-natal women with opioid use disorder and improve health outcomes for their babies.
“I’m excited to see Missouri take the lead in addressing this problem through both the legislative process and by collaborating on a national level,” said Walker. “It is important that mothers have the opportunity to receive the treatment they need.”
The extension of postpartum healthcare is crucial to the well-being of the mother, especially for those suffering from postpartum depression, according to Walker.
She added, “Since postpartum depression is an influential factor in opioid relapse, extending services can help prevent these mothers from falling back into addiction.”
The bills were voted out of the Health and Mental Health Committee with nine votes in favor and zero in opposition. These bills now await discussion on the House floor.
