Providing Expert Testimony on IL House Bill 1764 to the Judiciary-Criminal Committee at the State Legislature
I want to thank Representative Linda Chapa LaVia and Bill Ryan for their efforts, sponsorship and support of HB 1764. It is due to their dedication that women with postpartum depression and psychosis who commit crimes when mentally ill, have a better chance of having these “mitigating factors” considered in sentencing and in post-conviction petitions. This legislation once passed, would amend the Code of Corrections to consider postpartum mental illness in prosecuting these women. I am hopeful that the full House will vote affirmatively on this bill, leading to greater likelihood of women with postpartum mental illness getting treatment rather than just incarceration and punishment.
It was an amazing experience to be able to give expert testimony to the Judiciary-Criminal Committee of the IL State Legislature this week with Lita Simanis, LCSW, Coordinator of Perinatal Program for Amita Health.
It is critical that we all make contact with our IL representatives in the House to ask for their full support of this important piece of legislation, which is coming up for a vote in May. I will keep you informed once I find out the exact date of the House vote on HB1764.
Stay tuned for more information and please contact your IL State representatives.
Susan Susan Benjamin Feingold, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Author of: “Happy Endings, New Beginnings: Navigating Postpartum Disorders”
(New Horizon Press, 2013)
Find me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Web: drsusanbfeingold.com
Blog: post-postpartumdepressionblog.com Email: Susanbf@sbcglobal.net
The Post-Postpartum Depression Blog 