Maternal mental health conditions affect 1 in 5 women and are treatable. The gap between getting pregnant and postpartum women the care they need can be closed through smart state policy, through our model legislation and expanding distribution rapidly, which we have been doing through our state policy fellows programs.
To help expand our reach even further, we are thrilled to announce that together with the mental health policy non-profit, Inseparable we are publishing a new co-branded issue brief: “Strengthening Maternal Mental Health”, and developing a targeted state outreach strategy.
Building on our longstanding state policy efforts, this partnership pairs our deep subject-matter expertise with Inseparable’s expertise and advocacy momentum to drive legislative change nationwide.
4 Key Strategies for State Action
Our issue brief outlines four high-impact strategies state lawmakers can use to support mothers and children early on:
- Establish a State Maternal Mental Health Task Force
- Require Reimbursement for Universal Screening, Starting in Pregnancy
- Promote Maternal Psychiatric Consultation Lines
- Remove Barriers to Treating Families Early
Leading the Way: Real Examples from the Field
States across the country are already demonstrating the power of these legislative tools and case examples from Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky and California are highlighted in this issue brief.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the next state legislative session, we are targeting a preliminary group of priority states to introduce and advance these policy solutions, including Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia.
Healthy families start with healthy moms. By catching conditions early, putting psychiatric expertise within reach, and reimbursing care starting in pregnancy and through the full year postpartum that treats mothers and babies together when feasible, state policymakers can transform lives.
Read the full brief to learn how your state can take action.
