Mental health conditions and substance use disorders (SUD) are significant drivers of the U.S. maternal mortality crisis, particularly during the postpartum period. Suicide and SUD-related overdoses are leading causes of maternal mortality, accounting for more than 20 percent of postpartum deaths. Despite Medicaid covering two out of every five births nationwide and being the largest payer of behavioral health services, promising models that support pregnant and postpartum individuals with SUD have not yet been widely adopted.
With nearly every state now providing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, states and other key stakeholders have a significant opportunity to promote integrated, family-centered, trauma-informed care that improves health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children. Emerging innovations exist, at both the local and federal levels, offering new pathways to more effective and widespread implementation of integrated services for this population. This panel will bring together ground-level practitioners and state and health plan leaders to share innovative approaches that better support pregnant and postpartum Medicaid members with mental health conditions and SUD. The discussion will highlight an upcoming report from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), and offer insights and practical examples to help policymakers, health systems, providers, and community-based organizations transform maternal health care to offer critical supports for this oft-hidden population.
Agenda
I. Welcome and Introduction
Speaker: Karla Silverman, Associate Director, Complex Care Delivery, CHCS
K. Silverman will welcome participants and introduce panelists. She will provide an overview of issues and opportunities for improving care for postpartum individuals with mental health and SUD.
II. Panel Discussion
How to Improve Outcomes for Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals with SUD: Exploring Successful State, Health Plan, Provider, and Community-Based Approaches
Each panelist will briefly describe their care model or approach to improving care for individuals with SUD during and after pregnancy. K. Silverman from CHCS will moderate a discussion among the panelists.
Panelists:
- Lisa Asare, President and CEO, New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority
- Daisy Goodman, Asst. Prof. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
- Cat Livingston, Medical Director, Health Share of Oregon/Project Nurture
- Josefa Scherer, Program Manager, Doula, Moms Do Care-EMPOWER
III. Moderated Q&A
Moderator: K. Silverman
