APA Services applauds Congress for taking positive steps toward improving maternal health outcomes by prioritizing maternal mental health funding and creating a permanent option for states to provide 12 months of postpartum Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (chip) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. Specifically, the bill:
- increased funding for screening and treatment of maternal mental health and substance use disorder from $5 million in FY22 to $24 million in FY23;
- established the Maternal Mental Health Hotline to provide emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental health and substance use disorder resources to pregnant and postpartum women and allocated $10 million each year in FY23–FY27;
- established the Task Force on Maternal Health to improve coordination among federal agencies;
- and created a permanent option for states to provide 12 months of postpartum Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (chip) coverage through a simplified pathway. This critical policy, established under the American Rescue Plan Act, would have ended in 2027 if Congress had not acted.
Leading up to the passage of the omnibus, APA had joined leading national, state, and local organizations in the maternal mental health, maternal mortality, and mental health equity fields in a December 6 letter to congressional leadership (PDF, 147KB)opens in new window calling for more resources for federal maternal mental health programs in FY23. Additionally, in June 2022, APA hosted a maternal mental health forum in partnership with the Department of Health of Health and Human Services. Notable attendees included then APA President Frank Worrell, PhD; President-elect Thema Bryant, PhD; and APA Chief Executive Officer Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD. Additional efforts are being planned to address the national maternal mental health crisis
For more information, contact Leo Rennie.