The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) featured L.A. Care's partnership with Maternal Mental Health Now in "Innovation in Maternal Depression and Anxiety: Medicaid Initiatives in California and Nationwide". This report provides an overview of maternal behavioral health disorders and includes in-depth case studies from Medicaid plans and community-based organizations that address these issues.
In its press release, IMI stated that maternal behavioral health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, are critical public health concerns for reproductive-aged women, infants, and families.
To highlight the important work in this space, IMI conducted a national environmental scan to collect initiatives that address maternal depression and anxiety from Medicaid health plans and community-based organizations. The collaboration between L.A. Care and Maternal Mental Health Now provided one such case study.
Maternal Mental Health Now (MMHN) has collaborated with a local Medicaid Managed Care Organization, L.A. Care, on fundraising and educational events to support maternal depression and anxiety efforts.
L.A. Care has co-sponsored a provider education training lunch that hosted panelists who spoke about their personal experience working with patients with maternal mental health conditions and why physicians should not be afraid to provide the recommended screenings or treatment. L.A. Care also co-sponsored MMHN’s annual fundraising gala twice, and L.A. Care program officers in the community benefits department were invited to participate in a policy roundtable organized by MMHN.
In addition, L.A. Care Community Benefits has recently awarded MMHN a grant to implement a similar program that will specifically address the disparities in perinatal mental health outcomes experienced by African American women in Los Angeles.
View the Institute for Medicaid Innovation's press release.
Learn more about Maternal Mental Health Now.