What does seem to work, according to the study of mandated screening in other states, is when nurses or mental health providers visit new moms at home.
“Despite abundant goodwill, there is no evidence that state policies are addressing this great need,” the study’s authors report.
Supporters of California’s proposed bill, however, say doctors need to start somewhere. Screening is the first step in recognizing the full scope of the problem, said Nirmaljit Dhami, MD, a Mountain View, Calif., psychiatrist. Women should be screened on an ongoing basis throughout pregnancy and for a year after birth, Dr. Dhami said, not just once or twice as the bill requires.
“I often tell doctors that if you don’t know that somebody is suicidal, it doesn’t mean that their suicidality will go away,” she said. “If you don’t ask, the risk is the same.”