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Bill 44, Perinatal Mental Health Act, 2021

Karpoche, Bhutila

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Status

Debates

Original

Bill 44 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill proclaims the first Wednesday of May in each year as Perinatal Mental

Health Day.

The

Bill requires the Minister of Health to conduct a comprehensive review of perinatal

mental health in Ontario and prepare a Provincial Framework and Action Plan on

the issue. The Bill requires the Minister to report to the Assembly

periodically about the progress of the review and to table the Provincial

Framework and Action Plan in the Assembly.

Bill 44 2021

Act to proclaim Perinatal Mental Health Day and to require a review of perinatal

mental health in Ontario and the preparation of a Provincial Framework and

Action Plan

Ontario, many new birthing parents and new and bereaved birthing parents

experience some type of perinatal mental illness, such as perinatal mood and

anxiety disorder, during pregnancy and in the first 12 months following childbirth.

Frequently, perinatal mental illness goes unnoticed and untreated, causing

negative impacts for the mental and physical health and wellbeing of the

birthing parent, child and partners.

People

who give birth can experience perinatal mental illness. Birthing parents of

every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mood and

anxiety disorders. However, marginalized populations, such as LGBTQ2S+ people, members

of the Indigenous community, the Black community and other racialized communities,

adolescents, those with histories of substance use, immigrants, refugees, and

individuals with disabilities, may experience perinatal mental illness at

higher rates.

Perinatal

mental illness is impacted and compounded by the social determinants of health

such as income, housing, employment, education, early childhood development,

perinatal health care, community and social supports and by structural

determinants such as family

policy, employment policy, income support, social insurance policy and

education policy.

Newcomers

who are removed from traditional family and cultural support tend to experience

higher levels of perinatal depression. Cultural factors have been found to have

a strong influence on promoting positive perinatal mental health outcomes.

Ontario, universal perinatal mental health screenings are not mandated and

timely access to treatment is not always available. Perinatal mental illness is

treatable and the negative impacts can be mitigated with specialized training

of health practitioners, mandatory screening and timely access to diagnosis,

treatment and support services. Up to 85 per cent of birthing parents with perinatal

mental illnesses go untreated. The stigma of mental illness prevents families

from seeking assistance and many birthing parents are not aware they are

suffering from a mental illness. Therefore, it is important to heighten

awareness of the prevalence of perinatal mental illness and the effective and

well-researched prevention and treatment options available.

proclaiming the first Wednesday of May in each year as Perinatal Mental Health

Day and by requiring the Minister of Health to review the state of perinatal

mental health in Ontario and implement a Provincial Framework and Action Plan,

the Province of Ontario highlights the importance of perinatal mental health

with the goal of enhancing the quality of care and improving the mental health

outcomes.

Therefore,

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Perinatal

Mental Health Day

The

first Wednesday of May in each year is proclaimed as Perinatal Mental Health

Day.

Minister’s

review of perinatal mental health

(1) The

Minister of Health shall, within two months after this Act comes into force,

begin a comprehensive review of perinatal mental health in Ontario.

Progress

reports to Assembly

(2) Within

six months after this Act comes into force, and at least once every six months

after that, the Minister shall report to the Assembly respecting the progress

of the review during the relevant reporting period.

Provincial

Framework and Action Plan

(1) Using

the results of the review described in

section 2, the Minister of Health shall

prepare a Provincial Framework and Action Plan for improving perinatal mental

health in Ontario with particular focus on improving health care services

relating to perinatal postpartum depression.

Tabling

in Assembly, publication

(2) The

Minister shall table the Provincial Framework and Action Plan in the Assembly

and shall publish it on a website of the Government of Ontario.

Implementation

(3) The

Minister shall ensure that the Government implements the Provincial Framework

and Action Plan.

One-time

review

(4) The

Minister shall review the Provincial Framework and Action Plan within five

years after it is published and shall make any amendments the Minister

determines are necessary in order to improve perinatal mental health in Ontario.

Tabling

in Assembly, publication

(5) The

Minister shall table the amended Provincial Framework and Action Plan in the

Assembly and shall publish it on a website of the Government of Ontario.

Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Perinatal Mental Health

Act, 2021 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

November 4, 2021

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

November 4, 2021

Committee

Second Reading

Committee

Third Reading

Royal Assent

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