SB 446 West Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Including certain mental health disorders in existing public health programs

SB 446 requires West Virginia's Bureau for Public Health and Bureau for Medical Services to integrate support for postpartum depression, anxiety, psychosis, and obsessive-compulsive disorders into existing public health programs. It mandates training health care professionals on early detection using assessment tools during pregnancy, delivery, and up to one year postpartum, and expands public outreach to raise awareness about early signs of these conditions. The bill specifically targets at-risk mothers and health care providers, emphasizing culturally relevant, non-clinical education materials. This policy change updates current programs without creating new services, focusing on prevention and access to care through existing state health infrastructure.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Last action Jan 21, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
1
Committee
4
Jan 21, 2026
Committee
To Finance
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass, but first to Finance
upper
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To Health and Human Resources
upper
Jan 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To Health and Human Resources then Finance
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Laura Chapman
Laura Chapman
RRepublican
WV
1