From Pain to Power: Advocates Rally for Systemic Change as Maternal Mental Health Month Begins
As California kicks off Maternal Mental Health Month, advocates from across the state are celebrating a major step forward in the fight for maternal health justice. SB 626, authored by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and principal co-authored by Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), advanced through the Senate Health Committee this week after a groundswell of advocacy from survivors, clinicians and community leaders.
The bill, co-developed by the California Coalition for Perinatal Mental Health & Justice (CCPMHJ), aims to address California’s fragmented perinatal mental health system by requiring consistent screening, diagnosis, follow-up care, and insurance coverage for critical mental health services during pregnancy and postpartum.
“SB 626 is not just legislation — it’s a declaration that the lives of birthing people matter,” said Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas. “Maternal health must be treated as a human right, not a privilege. This bill moves us toward dismantling the inequities that have left too many Black, Brown, Indigenous, and marginalized families behind.”
On April 29, more than 100 survivors and advocates gathered at the State Capitol for “From Pain to Power: A California Storytelling and Advocacy Day,” which featured storytelling from parents, a documentary screening, and legislative visits focused on advancing SB 626.
“As a legislator and a mom of triplets, I understand the issue both professionally and personally. That is why I am so proud to co-author SB 626,” said Senator Sabrina Cervantes. “California has a responsibility to ensure no parent suffers in silence when help should have been within reach.”
If signed into law, SB 626 would:
- Mandate consistent screening, diagnosis, and treatment for perinatal mental health conditions in accordance with ACOG guidelines.
- Require insurance coverage for at least one FDA-approved medication and one digital therapeutic.
- Establish care coordination, case management, and public reporting requirements to ensure follow-through and accountability.
“At the intersection of sexism, racism, siloed health systems, and the delicate transition from pregnancy to postpartum, families are falling through the cracks,” said Cassie Gardener Manjikian, postpartum psychosis survivor and CCPMHJ co-founder. “SB 626 doesn’t reinvent the wheel — it realigns the spokes to ensure new parents are seen, heard and cared for. It’s a first step toward building the just, coordinated system our communities deserve.”
The urgency is clear: Perinatal mental health conditions are the leading complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers. Yet, over 75% of these cases go untreated, costing California an estimated $2.4 billion annually. Black women and low-income families face the greatest barriers to care.
“Black mothers have long carried the heaviest burdens in a healthcare system that was never designed with us in mind,” said Gabrielle Brown, maternal health advocate with CCPMHJ and Black Women for Wellness Action Project. “SB 626 marks a critical step toward reimagining that system — one where every parent’s mental health is prioritized, every life is valued, and every family is given the support they deserve.”
The California Coalition for Perinatal Mental Health & Justice is a survivor-led alliance working to transform the perinatal mental health system through strategic storytelling, movement building, and policy advocacy. Founding partners include Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Maternal Mental Health NOW, PSI-California, and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health.
To learn more, please visit: ccpmhj.wordpress.com/paintopower
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Senator Lola Smallwood Cuevas represents the 28th Senate District, which includes the communities of South Los Angeles, Mid City, Culver City, West Los Angeles, Century City and Downtown Los Angeles. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas spent more than two decades serving as a worker rights and racial equity advocate before her election to the State Senate. She resides in the View Park community of South Los Angeles with her family.
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