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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.

Displaying records 1 through 20 (27 total).

Pan American Health Organization. 2025. Leading causes of death and disease burden in the Americas. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization, 112

Texas Health and Human Services Commission . 2025. Maternal behavioral health. Austin, TX: Texas Family Resources ,

Annotation: This resource page from the Texas state government focuses on maternal behavioral health for pregnant and postpartum mothers, addressing the fact that mental health conditions (including depressive disorder and substance use disorder (SUD)) were the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the state. The site provides resources for maternal depression, listing available services and urgent maternal warning signs that require immediate medical attention, such as thoughts about hurting oneself or the baby. Furthermore, the page details multiple state programs designed to support pregnant and parenting Texas residents with SUD, including the Pregnant and Parenting Intervention programs (which offer case management and evidence-based education), the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model (a comprehensive care model available in the Houston area), and the Comprehensive Continuum of Care for Women, which provides support like transportation and financial assistance to reduce treatment barriers

Keywords: Behavioral medicine, Depression, Mental health, Postpartum care, Postpartum depression, Prental care, State programs, Substance use disorder, Texas

Silverman K, Benyo A. 2024. Building healthy futures: Addressing mental health and substance use disorders during pregnancy and postpartum. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies, 26 pp.

Annotation: This report examines the critical impact of mental health and substance use disorders on maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, highlighting how suicide and substance use-related overdoses account for over 20 percent of postpartum deaths. It presents promising approaches from states including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, New Hampshire, and California that integrate maternity care with behavioral health services and social supports. The report outlines six key recommendations for improving care: supporting dedicated multidisciplinary care teams, centering people with lived experience to drive health equity, normalizing substance use care, training all staff on bias and stigma, expanding the community-based workforce including doulas and peer recovery specialists, and implementing harm reduction and street medicine approaches. The authors emphasize that with nearly every state now providing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, there are unprecedented opportunities to implement integrated, trauma-informed, non-punitive care models that can significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve outcomes for families.

Keywords: Substance abusing pregnant women, Community participation, Disorders, Health care reform, Initiatives, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Mental health, Model programs, Perinatal addiction, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Risk factors, Service integration, Substance use disorders

Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative. 2024. Evidence-based care for maternal-infant dyads affected by substance use disorder resource workbook . Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative, 12 pp.

Annotation: This resource workbook for healthcare providers addresses evidence-based care practices for maternal-infant dyads affected by substance use disorder. The workbook presents key evidence-based practices including universal screening with validated tools following the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment process, medications for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine and methadone for pregnant and postpartum people, and the Eat, Sleep, Console model of care for infants experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome. It emphasizes that substance use disorder is a chronic medical condition requiring evidence-based treatment and highlights the importance of trauma-informed, anti-racist care to address stigma and discrimination. The workbook includes the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Care for Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorder patient safety bundle components organized into readiness, recognition and prevention, response, reporting and systems learning, and respectful care categories. It presents outcomes from the Missouri Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Collaborative showing a 23.9% reduction in transfer rates for infants diagnosed with or at risk for withdrawal, and discusses Missouri's maternal mortality data indicating that mental health conditions including substance use disorder were the primary cause of pregnancy-related deaths from 2018 to 2020. Resources include screening tools, educational materials, guidance documents for urine drug testing and plans of safe care, and training opportunities specific to Missouri providers.

Keywords: Guidelines, Infant health, Maternal health, Missouri, State initiatives, Substance use disorders

Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center. 2023. Strengthen supports and access to perinatal addiction services for individuals with substance use disorders. Chapel Hill, NC: Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center, 11 pp. (White House blueprint evidence to action series)

Annotation: This issue brief highlights Action 1.4 from the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which focuses on strengthening risk-appropriate care in rural and urban areas through implementation of the CDC Levels of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe). The document examines how this standardized assessment tool helps states evaluate and improve the distribution of maternal care capabilities across birthing facilities. It presents current data on maternal mortality rates and disparities across populations, discusses the challenges of providing appropriate levels of care particularly in rural areas, and outlines specific state-level innovations being implemented to strengthen perinatal regionalization. The brief includes detailed examples of successful LOCATe implementation in states like Montana and North Carolina, along with evidence-based measures for tracking progress in establishing risk-appropriate care systems.

Keywords: Access to care, Data, Evaluation methods, Perinatal addiction, Perinatal care, Risk assessment, Rural populations, State initiatives, Substance use disorders, model programs

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; the Louisiana Department of Health; Florida Department of Health. 2022. Implementing the “Care for pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorder” patient safety bundle: Opportunities for state public health. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs ,

Annotation: In this webinar, subject matter experts present on 1) the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health’s (AIM) patient safety bundle for perinatal people with substance use disorders, and 2) the role of public health agencies, perinatal quality collaboratives, and community organizations in supporting the implementation of the AIM bundle in their state. Speakers include representatives from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Louisiana Department of Health, and the Florida Department of Health.

Keywords: Guidelines, Perinatal care, Postpartum women, Pregnant women, Preventive health services, Public health , Quality assurance, Safety, State initiatives, Substance abusing pregnant women, Substance use disorders

U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2021 . Telehealth for treatment of serious mental illness and substance use disorders . Rockville: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 75 pp. (Evidence Based Resource Guide Series )

Annotation: This guide presents an overview of the telehealth landscape, describing the need, benefits, and challenges using this modality to address serious mental illness (SMI) and substance abuse disorders (SUD) among adults. It reviews the literature and research findings related to this issue, examines emerging and best practices, discusses gaps in knowledge, and identifies challenges and strategies for implementation. The guide is part of the Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series--a comprehensive set of modules with resources to improve health outcomes for people at risk for, experiencing, or recovering from SMI and/or SUD. It's designed for practitioners, administrators, community leaders, and others considering an intervention for their organization or community.

Keywords: Evidence based medicine, Mental health, Mental illness, Professional education, Resources for professionals, Substance abuse, Substance use disorders, Telecommunication, Telemedicine

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 2021. Evidence-informed substance use disorder policies for maternal and child populations . Arlington, VA: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2 pp.

Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health (AIM). 2021. Care for pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorder. Washington, DC: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health,

Annotation: The bundle provides actionable steps that can be adapted to a variety of facilities and resource levels to improve quality of care and outcomes for patients with substance use conditions. It includes: Implementation tools and resources, a data collection plan (with outcome measures), a change package, and learning modules.

Keywords: Guidelines, Postpartum care, Prenatal care, Substance use disorders, Therapeutics

U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau. [2020]. The case for integrated behavioral health care for mothers, children, and adolescents. Rockville, MD: U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 3 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet describes treatment gaps experienced by women and children with substance abuse or mental disorders, benefits of integrated behavioral health care, and services provided in primary care settings to address these gaps, including Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) and Screening ad Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Behavioral Disorders (MDRBD) programs. The fact sheet gives examples from HRSA awardees in Missouri, Rhode Island, Louisiana, and Kansas. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Behavior disorders, Children, Mental disorders, Model programs, State initiatives, Substance use disorders, Women

U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Behavioral Health Equity and Chau V. 2020. The opioid crisis and the Hispanic/Latino population: An urgent issue. Rockville, MD: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 27 pp.

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; Georgia Health Policy Center. 2020. Promoting access to care for women of reproductive age with mental health and substance use disorders in rural communities . Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 12 pp.

Annotation: This issue brief addresses barriers to adequate health care in rural communities for women of reproductive age with mental health and substance use disorders. The brief discusses social determinants that play a significant role in health outcomes (e.g., rising unemployment, unreliable transportation, inadequate housing, and low rates of health insurance coverage) and addresses the complex needs of women in rural settings who have limited access to medical treatment. Included are examples of state and federal programs designed to increase access to care and improve care coordination for vulnerable women of reproductive age, including pregnant women.

Keywords: Access to care, Intervention, Mental disorders, Model programs, Reproductive health, Rural health, Rural population, Substance use disorders, Women's health

Child Welfare Information Gateway. 2020. Bulletins for professionals: Preventing, identifying, and treating substance use among youth in foster care. Washington, DC: Child Welfare Information Gatewayu, 18 pp. (Bulletins for Professionals)

Annotation: Because youth in foster care have a higher propensity for drug use, this report was written to inform child welfare professionals, treatment providers, families, and community members on the signs of drug use and the risk factors that and impact of substance abuse. The report also provides links and information on various prevention and treatment initiatives, including those determined to be culturally sensitive.

Keywords: Alcohol abuse, Drug abuse, Drug affected children, Drug use behavior, Foster care, Foster children, Substance abuse prevention, Substance use disorders

U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2018. Clinical guidance for treating pregnant and parenting women with opioid use disorder and their infants. Rockville, MD: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 159 pp.

Annotation: This guide provides guidance for the optimal management of pregnant and parenting women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their infants, based on recommendations of experts as of 2017. The guide is designed to help health professionals and women determine the most clinically appropriate action for a particular circumstance. In addition to offering background information, the guide includes fact sheets divided into the following sections: prenatal care, infant care, and maternal postnatal care. Each fact sheet includes a clinical scenario, clinical action steps, supporting evidence and clinical considerations, and links to and descriptions of online resources on the topic.

Keywords: Guidelines, Narcotics, Parents, Perinatal addiction, Pregnant women, Prenatal addiction, Substance dependence, Substance use disorders, Treatment

Ko HY, Patrick SW, Tong VT, Patel R, Lind JN, Barfield WD. 2016. Incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome: 28 states, 1999–2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 65(31):799–802,

Annotation: This report examines state trends in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) incidence using all-payer, hospital inpatient delivery discharges compiled in the State Inpatient Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) during 1999–2013. The findings underscore the importance of state-based public health programs to prevent unnecessary opioid use and to treat substance use disorders during pregnancy, as well as decrease the incidence of NAS.

Keywords: Drug use during pregnancy, Measures, Neonatal abstinence syndrome, Newborn infants, Opiates, Pregnant women, State programs, Statistical data, Substance use disorders, Trends

Lechner A, Cavanaugh M, Blyler C. 2016. Addressing trauma in American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, 55 pp.

Annotation: This report summarizes an environmental scan of practices and programs for addressing trauma and related behavioral health needs in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth. Contents include a summary of the scan scope and results, trauma-informed care and trauma-specific interventions, interventions focused on suicide prevention and substance use disorders, parenting interventions for youth and their guardians, aspirational frameworks, and common elements of programs addressing trauma and related behavioral health needs of AI/AN youth. The systematic database search methodology and summaries of interventions and evaluations are also provided.

Keywords: Alaska Natives, American Indian, Intervention, Mental health, Model programs, Parenting, Program evaluation, Protective factors, Substance use disorders, Suicide prevention, Trauma, Trauma care, Youth

U.S. Office of the Surgeon General. 2016. Facing addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s report on alcohol, drugs, and health. Rockville, MD: U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, multiple items.

Annotation: This report reviews what is known about substance misuse and how that knowledge can be used to address substance misuse and related consequences. Contents include information and findings related to neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, and health care systems. The report concludes with a vision for the future including five general messages and their implications for policy and practice, and recommendations for specific stakeholder groups. Supplementary materials such as fact sheets on specific findings and recommendations for different audiences and a toolkit for promoting the report are also available.

Keywords: Health care systems, Medical treatment, Policy development, Public private partnerships, Substance abusers, Substance dependence, Substance use behavior, Substance use disorders, Substance use screening

National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. 2016. Families in crisis: The human services implications of rural opioid misuse. [Rockville, MD]: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, 9 pp.

Annotation: This policy brief discusses the unique rural challenges related to opioid use disorder and the experiences of families in crisis and recommendations for federal action. Topics include the opioid epidemic as a national problem with rural differentials, opioid abuse trends in rural communities, substance abuse and child welfare, the role of federal block grants, and barriers to treatment and services. Opportunities for creating a stronger treatment system for opioid use disorders are also addressed including the role of support services, care coordination and mental health workers to address current shortages in rural communities, increasing the availability of treatment programs, and research. A case study from Indiana is included.

Keywords: Access to health care, Barriers, Child welfare, Crisis intervention, Drug addiction, Family support services, Federal initiatives, Health care systems, Health policy, Interagency cooperation, Mental health, Opiates, Policy development, Program coordination, Rural population, Service coordination, Substance abuse prevention programs, Substance abuse treatment services, Substance use disorders, Systems development, Work force

National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2014. Principles of adolescent substance use disorder treatment: A research-based guide. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse, 35 pp.

Annotation: This guide focuses on adolescent substance use -- including abuse of illicit and prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco -- and the special treatment needs for people ages 12-17. Topics include the principles of adolescent substance use disorder treatment, frequently asked questions, treatment settings, and evidence-based approaches to treating adolescent substance use disorders (behavioral and family-based approaches, addiction medications, and recovery support services). Treatment referral resources are included.

Keywords: Adolescents, Evidence based medicine, Referrals, Research, Substance use disorders, Therapeutics, Treatment effectiveness evaluation

U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2014. Serious mental health challenges among older adolescents and young adults. Rockville, MD: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 14 pp. (The CBHSQ report)

Annotation: This report focuses on mental health problems, co-occurring mental health problems and substance use disorder, and mental health service use among older adolescents ages 16-17 and young adults ages 18 to 25. The report provides a snapshot of mental health issues among older adolescents and young adults overall and by key issues for the transition into adulthood such as housing, employment, education, and insurance coverage.

Keywords: Adolescents, Comorbidity, Health care utilization, Mental health, School to work transition, Substance use disorders, Transition to independent living, Young adults
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The MCH Digital Library is one of six special collections at Geogetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, univerity, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.