My blogging buddy, Katherine Stone, over at “Postpartum Progress” asked me to urge all Beyond Blue readers to sign the online petition for the MOTHERS Act that was put together by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
The US Senate has been hearing from so many people opposing the MOTHERS Act (mainly Scientologists and like-minded people who were telling the Senate that the MOTHERS Act is an effort to drug America’s mothers) that the bill was completely stalled and in danger of not coming to a vote.
The people at DBSA have put up an online petition to get signatures from people who support the MOTHERS Act. Katherine goes into detail in her post “MOTHERS Act Losing Momentum—Online Petition Needs Your Signature” which you can get to my clicking here.
They have 11,000 signatures. Katherine and advocates want 100,000.
Says Katherine:

We need lots of signers … people who believe in the importance of more funding for research into the cause of postpartum mood disorders, better training of healthcare providers and more awareness to reduce stigma.

Here’s what you need to do:
1. Click this link and sign this petition to support passage of the MBS MOTHERS Act. It is as easy as pie. Thanks to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance for getting the petition going. All you have to do is fill out your name and address and click send, and it will be sent all the proper places. The petition is also supported by Postpartum Support International.
2. Forward the petition link to everyone you know and tell them to sign their name to it as well.
Says Katherine:

We need thousands of people to do this. Not just a few hundred. Seriously, thousands. Please get clicking. And if you have a website, or an organization of proactive women and moms, or a blog, please get your readers/members involved ASAP.

In case you’re wondering, here is a list of the respected organizations that endorse the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act:
Postpartum Support International
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Children’s Defense Fund
March of Dimes
American College of Nurse Midwives
Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
Mental Health America
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Women’s Law Center
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
American Psychological Association
American Psychiatric Association
Postpartum Resource Center of New York
If you would like to add your organization to this list, please e-mail Katherine at this address: stonecallis@msn.com.
Thank you!!!