First Lady Shapiro, Secretary of Health Bogen highlight $5.2M in Pa. budget to protect moms, babies

Pittsburgh, Pa. – Pa. First Lady Lori Shapiro and Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen toured the Alex Joy D’Achille Center for Perinatal Mental Health in Pittsburgh this week.

The visit was made to emphasize that no Pennsylvania mother should navigate postpartum depression alone, and to see in action the Shapiro Administration’s work to transform maternal and child health in the Commonwealth. 

Over nearly four years, the Shapiro Administration has invested $17.5 million — $5.2 million of which was just secured in the 2026-2027 budget — to improve maternal health care in Pennsylvania by enhancing early screening initiatives, increasing behavioral health access and funding local programs that protect mothers and children.

“Every mother’s journey is unique, but no mother should ever suffer through postpartum depression alone or in silence,” said First Lady Lori Shapiro. “By promoting screenings and opening doors to specialized care, we are helping new moms get the compassionate support they deserve, because when mothers thrive, Pennsylvania families thrive.”

Postpartum depression affects one in eight mothers nationwide, presenting weeks or even months after childbirth. Symptoms range from severe anxiety and mood swings to difficulty sleeping and thoughts of self-harm, deeply impacting not only the wellbeing of mothers, but their ability to care for their babies and families. Universal postpartum depression screenings help identify these symptoms early to get women the care they deserve.

“From day one, the Shapiro Administration has made strategic investments that allow us to turn public health initiatives into life-changing care,” said Secretary Bogen. “Through targeted state funding and partnerships with outstanding health care providers and community based organizations, we are working to ensure mothers across the Commonwealth have immediate access to high-quality maternal and mental health care when and where they need it.”

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To fund these critical resources, Governor Josh Shapiro made maternal health a foundational priority in every budget. Prior to Governor Shapiro taking office, there was no specific line item in the state budget for maternal health. During his first year in office, the Governor secured a historic, first-time investment of $2.3 million in maternal health.

This investment led to the creation of the state’s maternal health strategic action plan: “Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures,” which is a comprehensive multi-agency effort. The first-of-its-kind plan in Pennsylvania contains strategic goals, data and research, ongoing work, and recommendations to combat maternal health disparities that can shape the quality of life for both mothers and their children.

The funding also supports Regional Maternal Health Coalition grants already leading to better outcomes for mothers. This grant program provides $1.2 million annually to organizations and made it possible for nearly 1,100 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clients to receive screenings for hypertension in 2025. Through those screenings, 100 mothers were identified with elevated blood pressure early and referred for preventative care.   

Other initiatives supported through four years of state maternal health funding include:

• Perinatal TiPS: Increases access to perinatal psychiatry and addiction medicine specialists via over-the-phone, provider-to-provider consultation, leading to patient referrals and connections to resources.
• Diversifying Doulas Initiative: Provides doula trainings, specifically to people of color, and doula services to individuals living in Lancaster, Dauphin, and York counties, with priority given to populations disproportionally affected by maternal mortality and morbidity.
• Statewide Healthy Start Maternal Behavioral Health Initiative: Expands mental and behavioral health services and programs at all six Pennsylvania Healthy Start sites, which led to increased postpartum depression screenings and connected mothers with needed mental health services.
• Perinatal and Postpartum Education Campaign (July-October 2025): Brought awareness of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS) and encouraged pregnant women and new mothers to seek support.
• Birth Justice Philadelphia: Funded $30,000 mini-grants for 10 community-based organizations working with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to improve maternal health outcomes in Philadelphia.