Build Back Better Act: How it Supports Moms and Families

By Shalini Wickramatilake, MHS

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, a $1.75 trillion legislative package that aims to address social welfare. It will be considered by the Senate in the weeks ahead. In addition to critical maternal mental health legislation included in the package, several other provisions that impact moms are currently included in the package as well:

Child Tax Credit: The American Rescue Plan of March 2021 increased the child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,000, with an even larger increase to $3,600 for children below the age of 6. While the increased tax credit was initially meant to be in effect solely for tax year 2021, the Build Back Better Act would continue this increased credit amount, providing monthly payments of up to $300 per month per child under six and $250 per month per child ages 6 to 17.

We recognize that financial stressors can be burdensome on moms and families, and can negatively impact mental health. Considering the cost of child care and other aspects of raising children, it is important that lawmakers extend the increased child tax credit to better support families.

Paid Family Leave: The House of Representatives has included 4 weeks of paid family leave in the package. While originally lawmakers and the White House included 12 weeks of paid family leave, due to concerns about costs, the provision was removed, then re-added for a smaller amount. Due to ongoing concerns from some Senators, it is likely that the paid leave provision will be removed prior to final passage of the bill. However, this current effort is an indication of lawmakers’ commitment to developing a national paid family leave benefit.

In the absence of a large-scale paid family leave benefit, Mom Congress is supportive of at least passing paid leave for mothers after birth. Moms must have paid leave given that lack of paid leave is associated with maternal health complications, including higher rates of postpartum depression. Additionally, moms need time and support to bond with their newborn and be able to breastfeed, as these elements have positive health outcomes for both mom and baby.

Universal Pre-K: The package would offer universal and free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. The legislation would help States to expand free preschool for at least 6 million children per year, and aims to improve the quality of preschool for those who are already enrolled. Parents would be able to select what works best for their own family with regard to types of pre-schools (i.e., public school, child care providers, Head Start).

Reduce Child Care Costs: The Build Back Better legislation aims to reduce the cost of child care by ensuring that middle-class families pay no more than 7 percent of their income on child care. Nearly all families of four making up to $300,000 per year would be eligible.

Strengthening Mental Health & Addiction Parity: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 requires health insurance companies that cover both mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) and medical/surgical services to cover MH/SUD services in a manner that is no less restrictive than medical/surgical services. The goal of MHPAEA is to end discriminatory practices against those with mental health and substance use disorders. However, enforcement of MHPAEA has not been universally effective, and many individuals still face unfair and illegal denials of their MH/SUD claims. The package includes a provision that would shift parity enforcement oversight from the States to the federal government, and would give the federal government authority to charge fines to insurers that do not comply with MHPAEA guidelines.

Conclusion: We strongly support policy efforts to reduce the financial stressors that moms face, as well as efforts to improve coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services. We will continue to track the Build Back Better package as it moves through the legislative process, with a particular focus on provisions that impact moms and families.

References:
H.R.5376 - Build Back Better Act
The Biden Administration’s Build Back Better Framework