Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This report outlines state Medicaid policy recommendations to support mental health for mothers and babies during the 12-month postpartum period. It draws from an October 2023 meeting of Medicaid policy and maternal health experts to recommend concrete steps for state agencies in five key areas: enhancing primary care as a family hub, monitoring care connections, financing appropriate services, supporting workforce capacity, and prioritizing maternal and infant-early childhood mental health in Medicaid. The document examines recent federal policy changes and includes detailed implementation guidance for states adopting extended postpartum coverage. It aims to help states leverage Medicaid to advance health equity and improve mental health outcomes for mothers and infants in the critical year following birth.

• Link

Keywords: Federal policy, Health equity, Infant health, Maternal health, Medicaid, Mental health, Postpartum care, State policy

Annotation: In this episode of the AIM for Safer Birth podcast series, host Christie Allen is joined by Dr. Kristen Dillon, Chief Medical Officer at the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). With an extensive background in public health, rural healthcare, and health policy, Dr. Dillon shares her journey from an urban upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area to a dedicated career in rural medicine, including her experience overseeing Oregon's Pandemic Response Unit and working on health policy in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. Dr. Dillon discusses the unique challenges and solutions in providing quality maternity care in rural areas, the importance of telehealth and collaborative networks, and the critical role of emergency care providers. This episode is part of the AIM series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

• Link
• Series Link

Keywords: Access to health care, Collaboration, Emergency medical services, Federal initiatives, History, Maternal health, Policy development , Rural health, State initiatives, Telemedicine

Annotation: This issue brief examines the implementation of Medicaid/CHIP postpartum coverage extensions from 60 days to 12 months after pregnancy in five states. Based on interviews with 37 maternal health stakeholders, the authors identify key challenges and opportunities to maximize the impact of these extensions on maternal health outcomes. The report finds that while eligibility systems are functioning, limited communication about extended coverage and barriers to accessing care may reduce effectiveness. The authors recommend specific actions to improve implementation, including expanding education about extended coverage, improving quality of postpartum care, supporting continuity of care with a focus on equity, strengthening managed care organization accountability, and monitoring implementation progress. This policy analysis emphasizes that while extending coverage is necessary for improving maternal health outcomes, additional delivery system reforms are needed to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities and ensure coverage translates into access to quality care throughout the postpartum year.

• PDF

Keywords: Barriers, Children's Health Insurance Program, Health care delivery, Health care reform, Health equity, Maternal health, Medicaid, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Policy development, Postpartum care, Quality Assurance, Quality improvement, South Carolina, State initiatives, and Virginia

Annotation: This policy snapshot examines community-based doula policies across states as part of the 2024 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, identifying doulas as one of 12 evidence-based policies that impact the prenatal-to-3 system of care. The document explains that community-based doulas are trained social service professionals who provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support to expectant parents from pregnancy through the postpartum period, and when integrated into larger support systems can improve child health outcomes, parenting behaviors, and birth outcomes. It identifies two key policy levers for states: expanding access through Medicaid coverage and reimbursement of doula services, and bolstering workforce sustainability through financial support for training and development. The snapshot shows which states cover and reimburse community-based doula services under Medicaid and which states provide financial support for doula training.

• Link

Keywords: Access to health care, Community based services, Doulas, Medicaid, Policy development, Reimbursement, State policies, Statistics, Work force, trends

Annotation: This tool provides information about state oral health improvement plans (SOHIPs). It lists up-to-date SOHIPs for all states that have one, with links to the plans. It also lists states with out-of-date SOHIPs, with links to the plans, if available, as well as states with no SOHIP. In addition, the tool lists three strategy content areas: assessment, policy development, and assurance, each with subcategories.

• PDF

Keywords: Assessment, Oral health, Public policy, Quality assurance, State information

Annotation: This report outlines United States of Care's comprehensive framework for the postpartum care of all women, regardless of insurance coverage. Grounded in community engagement, literature reviews, and discussions with maternal health thought leaders, the vision integrates diverse insights to establish the essential components of healthcare for new mothers. It specifies that women should receive personalized care tailored to their needs, including ongoing provider visits, interdisciplinary care teams, and data-informed care; comprehensive, whole-person care addressing all aspects of well-being, including social needs, mental health, substance use, and access to services like home visiting and contraception; and understandable, easy-to-navigate care, such as community supports and postpartum care plans. The document provides an overview of the current landscape, evidence-based guidance, and bright spot programs and policies for each postpartum care component, as well as the health benefits and return on investment.

• PDF
• Interactive Map

Keywords: Community participation, Guidelines, Health planning, Measures, Medicaid, Models, Outreach, Policy, Postpartum care, State initiatives

Annotation: This blog post details policy and programmatic strategies states are implementing to strengthen the perinatal health care system, improve maternal health outcomes, and address disparities, particularly noting that Black women are 2.6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. Based on an analysis of states’ strategic plans, the key priorities for supporting pregnant and postpartum women include (1) ensuring access to timely and high-quality care, citing examples such as Iowa’s Obstetrics Mobile Simulation Training Program and North Carolina’s Region IV Provider Support Network; (2) developing and sustaining the perinatal workforce, citing examples such as Illinois DocAssist, a free statewide psychiatric access program, and New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center; and (3) supporting high-quality care coordination, citing examples such as California’s Enhanced Care Management Birth Equity Population of Focus under CalAIM and Texas’s High-Risk Maternal Care Coordination Services Program.

• Link

Keywords: Access to care, Blacks, California, Healthcare disparities, Illinois, Iowa, Maternal health, New Jersey, North Carolina, Perinatal care, Policy, State initiatives, Strategic plans, Texas

Annotation: This interactive map and chart summarizes state efforts to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage by tracking state laws, Medicaid waivers, and state plan amendments designed to prolong coverage during the postpartum period. Extending Medicaid postpartum coverage beyond 60 days to 12 months is a key state strategy intended to improve maternal health and address the maternal mortality crisis. This resource is intended for professionals addressing policy areas such as Women’s and Children’s Health, specifically focusing on Maternal and Family Health.

• Link

Keywords: Government financing, Maps, Medicaid, Policy, Policy development, Postpartum care, State legislation

Annotation: This web page presents an interactive map and accompanying chart below that detail the status of state action to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage.

• Link

Keywords: Access to health care, Interactive media, Maps , Medicaid, Policy development, Postpartum care, State legislation

Annotation: This issue brief describes the role of the doula; explains how doula support can reduce maternal health disparities and improve birthing outcomes; and provides examples of state Medicaid programs that cover doula care. The brief also addresses policy considerations; funding challenges, barriers to doula coverage, and considerations for states seeking to expand doula care.

• Link

Keywords: Access to care, Doulas, Financing, Health care disparities, Labor companions, Maternal health, Medicaid, Policy, State initiatives

Annotation: This resource serves as a tool to help states develop and implement impactful policy solutions that strengthen youth mental health. It provides states with actionable solutions that can reduce the risk of mental health conditions, help youth build resistance, increase awareness and reduce mental health stigma, ensure access and affordability of quality treatment and care, and train and support caregivers and educators.

• PDF

Keywords: Adolescent mental health, Health promotion, Interventions, Mental health services, Policy development, State initiatives

Annotation: This report tracks progress on key tobacco control policies at the state and federal levels, and assigns grades based on tobacco control laws and regulations in effect as of January 1, 2023. The federal government, all 50 state governments, and the District of Columbia have been given grade to reflect the extent to which tobacco control laws are adequately protecting citizens. The report summarizes the results of its findings and describes major trends regarding tobacco control policy efforts at the state and federal levels. Details about the methodology and the criteria used to assess the effectiveness of tobacco control policies are included.

• Link

Keywords: Comparative analysis, Data, Federal programs, Health status, Policy, Smoking, Smoking cessation, State programs, Tobacco, Trends

Annotation: This public health spotlight describes state and local legislative trends to incorporate health equity and antiracism policies; collect health disparity data; and improve rural healthcare access.

• PDF

Keywords: Health equity, Policy development, Public health, Racial factors, Racism, State legislation, Trends

Annotation: This report describes state trends in the use of Medicaid funds to improve maternal health, including Medicaid extensions that cover the 12-month postpartum period; the expansion of provider types to include doula care; and coverage of postpartum mental health screening and treatment. Guidance on how states can leverage Medicaid managed care contracts to Improve maternal health outcomes is included, along with a chart comparing the percentage of women who attend timely prenatal and postpartum visits in both expansion and non-expansion states.

• Link

Keywords: Financing, Health care reform, Medicaid, Policy , Postpartum care, Prenatal care, Quality improvement, State legislation, Trends

Annotation: This online tracker contains a map of the U.S. and accompanying chart highlighting each state's policy in response to the 2016 federal guidance allowing states to provide Medicaid coverage of maternal and/or caregiver depression screening during a well-child visit under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. The map indicates which states either require, recommend, or allow maternal depression screening using the two-generational approach and, where applicable, provides the reimbursement rate for this fee-for-service.

• Link

Keywords: Depression, Financing, Maternal health, Medicaid, Policy, Postpartum depression, Screening, State legislation

Annotation: This web page describes the pathways that states can take to obtain reimbursement for funding immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception (IPP LARC) outside of the global obstetric payment. Included is a map and accompanying chart for each state indicating their policies regarding Medicaid reimbursement for IPP LARC.

• Link

Keywords: Contraception, Contraceptive devices, Financing, Medicaid, Policy, Postpartum care, State aid, State legislation

Annotation: This electronic resource (1) explains why group prenatal care is an effective state strategy to impact access to needed maternal and child health care; (2) explains how and why group prenatal care varies widely across states; and (3) describes how state leaders can promote financial support for group prenatal care, provide enhanced reimbursement rates for group prenatal care through Medicaid, and serve pregnant women in a large number of group prenatal care sites across the state.

• Link

Keywords: Access to prenatal care, Peer groups, Policy development, Prenatal care, State initiatives

Annotation: This report highlights the growing housing affordability crisis across the United States; describes housing difficulties experienced by North Carolina (NC) parents and their children; and presents policy recommendations based on its findings. Included is a description of themes that emerged during focus groups with NC professionals serving families and interviews with parents.

• PDF

Keywords: Barriers, Child health, Families, Homelessness, Housing, Policy development, Socioeconomic factors, State initiatives

Annotation: This section of the 2021-2026 Idaho Oral Health Improvement Plan comprises reports from partner organizations and individual oral health champions who have undertaken activities that align with the plan and are working to improve, support, or otherwise positively impact oral health for Idahoans. For each partner organization or individual, information on the geographic area served, the target population, and the oral-disease-prevention activities, activities to improve access to oral health care, and policy-related activities is provided.

• Link

Keywords: Access to health care, Idaho, Oral health, Prevention, Public policy, State materials, State programs

Annotation: This online report examines state policies for expanding Medicaid coverage of community health worker (CHW) services, including approaches to authorizing payment and encouraging use of CHWs within Medicaid programs. It presents findings from KFF's 22nd annual Medicaid budget survey conducted in 2022, which found that over half of responding states (29 of 48) allowed Medicaid payment for CHW services as of July 2022. The document details various coverage mechanisms including state plan authority, ACA Health Home options, managed care arrangements, and Section 1115 demonstration waivers. It provides specific examples of recently implemented state plan amendments and discusses state plans to expand CHW programs in fiscal year 2023, including new certification requirements and efforts targeting maternal health. The report includes a U.S. map showing state CHW coverage policies and a detailed table comparing features of state plan amendments in California, Louisiana, and Nevada.

• Link

Keywords: Community health workers, Medicaid, National surveys, Payment, Public policy, State legislation, State surveys