The Biden administration is aiming to improve maternal mental health via a new national strategy released May 14.
A federal task force composed of healthcare and policy experts developed the national strategy, which calls for better integration of perinatal mental health and substance use care across healthcare facilities, communities and social systems. The strategy includes recommendations and priorities across five core pillars:
- Building a national infrastructure that prioritizes perinatal mental health and reduces disparities
- Achieving more equitable and accessible care
- Using data and research to improve outcomes and accountability
- Promoting prevention and community partnerships
- Elevating voices of people with lived experience
The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, with suicides, drug overdoses and other mental health-related causes accounting for more than 22% of all pregnancy-related deaths, according to HHS.
"Many of these tragic deaths can be prevented by eliminating health disparities and understanding the impact of mental health during pregnancy and in the first months as a parent," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a news release. "We want to address the challenges people are facing, decrease stigma associated with these challenges, and improve access to support both inside and outside of the healthcare system."
View the full guidelines here.