Hannah Mae Powers testifies for Brooklyn Borough President on maternal mental health
Hannah Mae Powers, health and safety policy analyst for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, supports Intro 902 and Resolutions 464 and 498. She cites high rates of perinatal mental health disorders and serious mental illness among incarcerated women.
Hannah, you may begin when ready.
Good afternoon.
Thank you, Chairs Farias and Brooks Powers and all members of the committees for holding this hearing today.
I am providing this testimony on behalf of Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
My name is Hannah Mae Powers, and I'm the office's health and safety policy analyst.
Our office supports Intro 902 and the companion resolutions 464 and 498, which aim to provide more standardized and compassionate mental health care and processing for perinatal women.
Maternal mental health disorders are remarkably common, affecting approximately one in every five perinatal women.
Maternal mental health conditions such as perinatal mood and anxiety and substance use disorders are also leading contributors to pregnancy-associated deaths, both nationally and locally.
However, these disorders are not readily identified or adequately treated.
We also know that mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, are overrepresented among those involved in the criminal legal system.
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It's true for women of reproductive age in the carceral population, with one study showing that 43% of them meet the lifetime criteria for serious mental illness.
53% meet the lifetime criteria for PTSD, and 82% meet the criteria for substance use disorder.
Pre-existing mental health disorders also may precipitate involvement in the carceral system, especially for women.
According to the Women's Center for Justice, over 80% of women in New York City jails have mental health concerns.
Unfortunately, Rikers functions as the largest mental health provider in the city, and detained persons with mental health concerns are implicated in an inhumane system that was not built to provide care.
We ask the council to reaffirm its commitment to providing comprehensive and compassionate health care to all New Yorkers by passing the legislation and resolutions on today's agenda.
This will facilitate needed mental health treatment and allow reasonable considerations to be made in the criminal prosecution sentencing of perinatal and postpartum women in the crossroads system.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify today.