YouTube video

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 brought 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 highlighted a new report from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), and offered 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 welcomed participants and introduced panelists. She provided 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 briefly described their care model or approach to improving care for individuals with SUD during and after pregnancy. K. Silverman from CHCS moderated 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