123640.
(a) By July 1, 2019, a A licensed health care practitioner who provides prenatal or postpartum care for a patient, including care during the interpregnancy interval, shall ensure that the mother is offered screening or is appropriately screened for maternal mental health conditions. The mother shall be offered screening or appropriately screened pursuant to this subdivision at least once during pregnancy and at least once postpartum, to maximize resources and ensure access to the mother.(b) This section shall not apply to a licensed health care practitioner when providing emergency services or care, as defined in Section 1317.1.
(c) This section does not preclude any licensed or certified provider acting within their scope of practice from screening for maternal mental health conditions.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Health care practitioner” means a physician and surgeon, naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse midwife, or a midwife licensed pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code or an initiative act referred to in that
division and who is acting within their scope of practice.
(2) “Interpregnancy interval” means the time that a woman is not pregnant, between one live birth or pregnancy loss and the next pregnancy, regardless of the outcome of the pregnancy.
(3) “Maternal mental health condition” means a mental health condition that occurs during pregnancy, the postpartum period, or the interpregnancy interval and includes, but is not limited to, postpartum depression.