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Message from the Maryland Nurses Association: Call to action!

Posted about 7 years ago by Elaine Crain

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is expected to take a vote TODAY on a bill that would require health care practitioners to report women to Child Protective Services (CPS) if a newborn tests positive for certain substances including legal medication prescribed by a health care provider. Please call or email members of the Judicial Proceedings Committee immediately and tell them to VOTE NO on SB 27! 

If passed, this bill would penalize women for following clinical advice and could deter women from seeking treatment including substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment and pain management. MNA agrees with the intent of the legislation to ensure substance exposed newborns receive health care services and have a safe home environment, but the bill goes much further than this intention and could end up dissuading women from following clinical advice. It is easy to understand why a woman may not follow clinical advice or take prescribed medication if it means a mandatory CPS “risk of harm” assessment will be performed regardless of medical necessity and supervision. This could lead to other safety concerns for the woman and the newborn, particularly for women who are prescribed substance abuse cessation medication and/or take medication for a mental health disorder. MNA is confident that we can find a solution that addresses the state’s concerns and will continue to work with them to find an alternative method for developing safe care plans for medically supervised mothers with substance exposed newborns that does not involve filing reports with CPS.

Please call or email members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee TODAY and let them know the nursing community does not support this bill and ask them to VOTE NO on SB 27.

Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Emails

bobby.zirkin@senate.state.md.us
jim.brochin@senate.state.md.us
Bob.Cassilly@senate.state.md.us
michael.hough@senate.state.md.us
susan.lee@senate.state.md.us
anthony.muse@senate.state.md.us
wayne.norman@senate.state.md.us
victor.ramirez@senate.state.md.us
justin.ready@senate.state.md.us
delores.kelley@senate.state.md.us
will.smith@senate.state.md.us

Call Committee Members

Senator Bobby Zirkin 410-841-3131 | 301-858-3131
Senator Jim Brochin 410-841-3648 | 301-858-3648
Senator Bob Cassilly 410-841-3158 | 301-858-3158
Senator Michael Hough 410-841-3704 | 301-858-3704
Senator Susan Lee 410-841-3124 | 301-858-3124
Senator Anthony Muse 410-841-3092 | 301-858-3092
Senator Wayne Norman 410-841-3603 | 301-858-3603
Senator Victor Ramirez 410-841-3745 | 301-858-3745
Senator Justin Ready 410-841-3683 | 301-858-3683
Senator Delores Kelley 410-841-3606 | 301-858-3606
Senator Will Smith 410-841-3634 | 301-858-3634

Thanks,

Ed Suddath
Chief Staff Officer
Maryland Nurses Association


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