Our work shaping and reporting on national mental health policy is made possible through a capacity grant from the Perigee Fund.
In December 2024 Senators Marshall (R-KS), Tuberville (R-AL), Scott (R-FL), Lummis (R-WY) and Johnson (R-WI) announced the newly formed Make America Healthy Again Caucus to address primary care access, prevention of disease and food as medicine.
On January 29th, 2025 the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health issued the following letter to the caucus leadership:
January 29, 2025
Re: Senate GOP Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Caucus
Dear Senators Marshall, Tuberville, Scott, Lummis, and Johnson,
We are writing to thank you for your leadership in forming the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Caucus and share our interests in supporting the caucus.
We applaud your vision and goals for the caucus, including:
- Food is Medicine: Promote access to nutritious, affordable food, and encourage education on ingredient impacts, processed foods, and healthy eating habits to facilitate healthy outcomes.
- Chronic Disease Prevention: Shift health care resources toward preventive care, and research and implement non-pharmaceutical interventions to address chronic illnesses.
- Primary Care Access: Expand community health centers and telehealth initiatives and promote direct primary care models to reduce costs and improve access, as well as expand HSA’s and association health plans.
Our work focuses on improving the lives of families through improving the wellbeing of mothers. As you know, healthy and thriving mothers are the cornerstone of healthy families and communities.
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health is interested in the following concepts which align with the Caucus’s vision for a healthy America:
- Doctors testing for nutritional deficiencies and prescribing supplements, such as vitamin D, MethylatedFolate, NAC for example. These interventions are noted in our menu of treatment and interventions:
“Nutrition and supplements, including adequate omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, folate (5-MTHF),1 B122 (methelcobalyn) choline3“
- Coverage of such supplements at no or low copay, when deficiencies are identified, to prevent further health complications and maintain ongoing health.
- Community cooking classes for parents with a box of healthy food every two weeks, through Family Resource Centers and the FDA’s Women Infants and Children (WIC) program.
- Improving access to Primary Care, and in the case of pregnant and postpartum women, OB/Gyns and Midwives, who provide care to women in pregnancy through 6-12 months postpartum. Improved access must include ensuring all women have access to an OB/Gyn and/or Midwife within a 30 minute drive, and that these providers are paid fairly, which is not currently happening. When women have access to this crucial care, their spouses and families can rest assured.
We look forward to working with you on these critical initiatives, and other shared interests as we work to make America and her mothers and families healthy again.
Sincerely,
Joy Burkhard, MBA
CEO
Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health
The Policy Center will continue to track the MAHA caucus priorities and seek to elevate maternal mental health in these critical discussions.
