BOSTON — Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on Tuesday announced plans to enhance postpartum care and support for new parents across the state, following the recent high-profile trial of Lindsay Clancy, whose defense cited unresolved postpartum psychosis in the death of her three children last year.
During a visit to Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Healey outlined proposals to expand access to mental health services for new mothers, including free home visits by nurses for all families with newborns. The initiative would provide in-home guidance on infant care and maternal health, offering support on feeding, sleep, and overall wellness. Additionally, nurses would conduct routine screenings for postpartum depression and other mental health concerns.
“To every mom who has struggled with her mental health before, during or after pregnancy, I want you to know we see you — I see you,” Healey said. “We need to talk more openly about this,” she added, emphasizing the importance of addressing maternal mental health without stigma.
Healey plans to seek legislative approval for a $2 million investment to fund the home visitation program, which would build upon a current federally funded initiative that reaches about 3,000 families annually. The governor noted that around 68,000 newborns are born in Massachusetts each year and that participation in the program would be voluntary.
The proposals also include a $250,000 allocation to strengthen the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, which provides mental health consultations to healthcare providers treating postpartum women.
The calls for improved postpartum support gained prominence amid the legal proceedings involving Lindsay Clancy. Defense attorneys argued that Clancy, a Massachusetts mother, was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time she killed her three children in 2023, rendering her criminally unaccountable. Prosecutors countered that evidence suggested Clancy understood the nature and wrongfulness of her actions. The jury ultimately declared a mistrial after failing to reach a unanimous verdict.
Governor Healey, a Democrat who signed a maternal health law in 2024, previously expanded access to doulas, midwives, and birth centers, along with requiring insurers to cover postpartum depression screenings. The recent proposals aim to build on these efforts by addressing gaps in early postpartum care and mental health services to better support new parents and reduce preventable tragedies.