Blog Day for MOTHERS Act - October 24

Katherine Stone appeared this morning on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet to talk about Blog Day for MOTHERS Act -- happening this Wednesday -- and did a wonderful job.  Go to the Mike and Juliet site to watch Katherine talking in the Green Room after her interview and see what a natural she is on camera. 

We're getting behind Blog Day for MOTHERS Act tomorrow because as Katherine says,

Postpartum depression is a serious and disabling condition that affects up to 20 percent of new mothers -- as much as 800,000 American women each year.  Yet only 15 percent of these women will receive any assessment or treatment.  Let me repeat.  With all we know and as smart as we are, only 15% of 800,000 women will get diagnosed and treated.  That is so wrong on so many levels.  Women are not being diagnosed because they're not being educated and they're not being screened.  Untreated, the consequences of maternal mood disorders range from chronic, disabling depression to death.  The impact of untreated maternal depression on infants/children ranges from behavioral and learning disabilities to depression and, in the worst case scenarios, death from infanticide."

Here's what Blog Day for MOTHERS Act is all about (thank you again, Katherine):

On Wednesday October 24th, BlogHer, Postpartum Support International and Postpartum Progress are joining together to host Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act.  We're asking bloggers from around the country to write about the MOTHERS Act for postpartum depression on the 24th and to encourage their readers to pick up the phone that day, call their Senators and urge them to endorse this critical legislation.  I hope you will join us in this effort, which is part of the overall BlogHers Act 2007-2008 initiative to improve maternal health.

What is the MOTHERS Act?  The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, or MOTHERS Act (S. 1375), will ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services.  In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression.  The bill is sponsored by Senators Menendez and Durbin.

So,   

1. Blog it on Blog Day for The MOTHERS Act tomorrow, October 24, 2007


2. Share your link at BlogHer


3. Proudly display the badge in this post stating you're going to do the above.

4. CALL YOUR SENATORS AND ASK THEM TO SPONSOR AND SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION!!!

5. Go to Postpartum Support International to get all the contact info you need.

We're hoping a LOT of bloggers will get in on the act on Thursday.  Your post doesn't have to be long.  Just let everyone know you support the bill, and you hope they'll agree with you, and call their Senators.

And every one of us, let's pick up the phones tomorrow.  Even if you've never ever called your Senator before, give it a try.   It takes a couple of seconds, and all you need to do is say to the person who answers the phone that you're calling because you want the Senator to vote for the MOTHERS Act, Senate Bill 1375.  Telling him or her that you vote and you live in the Senator's state.  That's it.  They'll make a note of it, and you're done.  And you'll feel great because you've been heard and because you could make the difference in getting this bill passed into law. 

Comments

[PunditMom]

Done! And it should be up later today at DC Metro Moms, as well.

http://punditmom1.blogspot.com/2007/10/something-in-common.html

[ann adams]

I'm going to copy and paste your post if that's okay.

[ann adams]

Done

http://rocrebelgranny.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-hers-act-post-partum-depression.html

Cross posted to Is America Burning too.

[Katherine Stone]

Thank you so much for writing about Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act. I hear the phone lines were pretty busy today, so if your readers haven't had a chance to call or to get through yet, I hope you'll encourage them to do so before the end of the week. Every single call is important to all the new moms out there. Thank you again for your support!

[MGH Center for Women's Mental Health]

Thanks for your support of the MOTHERS Act. Too often postpartum depression is a problem that goes unnoticed, and most women with PPD never receive any type of treatment. PPD is a treatable illness, and it is essential that we continue to educate ourselves and others about this important issue.

For more information on PPD, visit us at womensmentalhealth.org