Every May, in addition to celebrating Mother’s Day, we recognize Maternal Mental Health Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.
As we look back on the month, the Modern Medicaid Alliance is showcasing the work of our partners to support pregnant women, new mothers, and individuals with mental health conditions.
Advocating for Maternal and Mental Health
Modern Medicaid Alliance partner National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has been advocating for maternal mental health Medicaid coverage, highlighting how access to the high-quality services Medicaid provides is critical to enhancing maternal mental health and addressing our nation’s maternal health crisis.
NAMI’s More Than Enough campaign celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month invited people to promote the message on social media and attend events throughout the month.
Additionally, NAMI published a Medicaid redeterminations resource that walks through the steps Medicaid enrollees should take to ensure a smooth redeterminations process.
Combating Mental Health Stigmas
The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness is leading the Stamp Out Stigma initiative, which aims to change perceptions and reduce stigma of mental illness and substance use disorders by encouraging people to talk about them openly. Participants can take a pledge to reduce the stigma and read stories from individuals living in recovery.
Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, Stamp Out Stigma hosted Twitter chats each week on different topics, including suicide prevention and teen mental health. These conversations brought attention to and provided a safe space for people to discuss important mental health topics.
Addressing Maternal Health Disparities
AmeriHealth Caritas is committed to addressing Black maternal health disparities through its mission to help people get care, stay well, and build healthy communities. As a part of these efforts, AmeriHealth Caritas developed infographics on interventions to improve health outcomes for Black mothers.
AmeriHealth Caritas’ Bright Start program helps to reduce pregnancy-related complications through early prenatal education and intervention. Throughout the year, it holds community baby showers to connect mothers-to-be with local obstetricians and community organizations to provide health information and resources on topics such as infant health, postpartum care, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Supporting Women and Children During Medicaid Redeterminations
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has been working closely with its members and partner organizations to support Medicaid beneficiaries throughout the Medicaid redeterminations process, including developing resources, hosting webinars, and educating and engaging members through town halls and regional calls.
AMCHP regularly shares communications through social media, internal member briefs, and a member newsletter. The organization is also working closely with federal partners to share concerns, challenges, and stories from those impacted by Medicaid renewal.
Raising Awareness Around Racial Inequities
Throughout the past year, Blue Shield of California convened a series of circles, in partnership with the Black Wellness and Prosperity Center, that provided a safe space for women to share pregnancy experiences and discuss solutions to inequities in maternal health care. The initiative is part of Blue Shield’s Maternal Child Health Equity Initiative, which focuses on investing in a comprehensive support system for pregnancy and postpartum communities through the inclusion of community-based organization services, doulas, and technology.
In addition to spotlighting the work of our partners, throughout May, the Modern Medicaid Alliance showcased Medicaid’s critical role in providing maternal and mental health services for enrollees:
- Medicaid’s Role in Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
- Medicaid and Mental Health Fact Sheet
- ONE DAY: The Impact of Medicaid on Children and Mothers
For more information about Modern Medicaid Alliance partners, check out our Medicaid Spotlight program.