PO - Improve Mental Health Services for Women of Reproductive Age
Return to Improve_Mental_Health_Services_for_Women_of_Reproductive_Age
Go to Measure Details
Examples of a Description for this Objective
Women with with mental health issues that are not being effectively treated are at risk of developing OUD and becoming pregnant. (Link to research). One upstream strategy to reduce the number of babies being born with NAS is to improve efforts to identify women with unmet mental health needs and support them in getting appropriate services. There are a wide range of evidence-based interventions that can be implemented very cost effectively to help overcome some of the cost and access barriers. While there is no single program to address this effort, a variety of mutually reinforcing steps can be taken, including:
- Improve screening to identify girls and women with unmet mental health needs, including trauma, ACEs, and toxic stress.
- Increase adoption of trauma-informed practices across the community--and connect girls and women with identified needs to these services.
- Help connect girls and women with professional services that they may be able to get with their existing insurance and/or Medicaid coverage
- Expand the use of telepsychiatry to improve access to professional care
- Increase the use of electronic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (eCBT) or other online tools to support good mental health
- Enhance peer support and coaching to address mental health issues in women and girls.
Examples of a From-To Gap
| Current State | Desired State |
| Women and girls who could be helped with their mental health issues (and who have insurance or Medicaid) are not getting services that would help them | Improved screening for mental health issues results in more girls and women receiving mental health services that are covered by their existing insurance and/or Medicaid. |
| Many mental health issues among women and girls are not identified or diagnosed. | Increase screening helps minimize undiagnosed mental health issues. |
| Women and girls don't have the coverage to pay for mental health services they want and know they need. | Additional funding, better use of available funding and expanded use of technology greatly reduces the financial barriers to getting mental health. |
| Women and girls who would benefit from low-cost (or free) technology-based forms of mental health supports are not aware of them or lack access to the technology. | Increased awareness and efforts to make technology available (e.g. in libraries, community centers or clinics) allows many more girls and women to benefit from low-cost and free evidence-based platforms. |
