Arkansas receives a ‘D’ for maternal mental health

Arkansas ranks near the bottom in terms of mental health care for mothers, according to a report by the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. The center created an “A-F” grading system and Arkansas received a “D.”

The state received an “F” for its providers and program, a “D” for screening and screening reimbursement and a “D” for insurance coverage and treatment payments. The only state that borders Arkansas that got a worse grade was Mississippi, which received an “F” overall.

This year, the U.S.’s national grade improved slightly from a D+ to a C-. Untreated maternal mental health disorders, such as postpartum depression, are estimated to cost the U.S. $14.2 billion annually.

“In the United States, health care is largely left to the states to manage. The annual report cards serve as a roadmap for states with measurable data to determine progress,” said Joy Burkhard, CEO of the Policy Center. “Maternal mental health should be of upmost concern to both political parties – we are counting on state agencies and lawmakers in every state, particularly those with Ds and Fs to look closely at their grades and the measures. We are here to support their efforts.”

Among the providers and program findings in the state, Arkansas failed to meet the ratio of non-prescriber maternal mental health (MMH) providers to perinatal population (5 per 1,000 births) and failed to have at least one MMH intensive outpatient program or partial hospitalization program. The state doesn’t have a state-sanctioned MMH task force or commission.

The state did get a passing grade for having at least one inpatient or residential MMH treatment program. The report noted that the state got a passing grade for being a top performer on the HEDIS “postpartum depression screening” measure (among commercial insurance and/or Medicaid).

Arkansas received passing marks for its expanded Medicaid program and for allowing maternity providers to submit claims to private insurers for postpartum MMH treatment. It received failing marks for providing enhanced Medicaid reimbursement or state investment in group prenatal care and Medicaid coverage of group parenting programs.

The report’s release comes at a time when lawmakers and policy makers in the Natural State have been making a push to improve overall maternal outcomes. The state ranks worst in the country in maternal mortality rates.

Heartland Forward, a Bentonville-based think tank, launched the Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice to help improve child and maternal outcomes. A recent study estimated that the country would save a collective $79 billion per year if maternal health and prenatal care were expanded along with an increase in the number of community health workers.

During the recently convened legislative session, lawmakers passed a bipartisan law, “Healthy Moms Healthy Babies.”

It allows for presumptive Medicaid eligibility for likely candidates; unbundling of payments throughout the pregnancy period so more doctors can see patients more quickly; reimbursement pathways for doulas and community health workers; and higher reimbursement rates for Medicaid deliveries. State lawmakers and Gov. Sarah Sanders earmarked $42 million in new funding for maternal health initiatives in the recently concluded session.

The changes enacted in the session could improve Arkansas’ standing in future Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health rankings. However, there are other potential dangers to maternal mental health on the national level. There has been an effort in Congress to cut Medicaid funding.

“States are currently making incremental progress to address maternal mental health,” said Caitlin Murphy, research scientist at the GW Milken Institute of School of Public Health who supported the creation of the report cards. “However, if Congress fails to protect mothers from the extensive, proposed cuts to Medicaid and Health and Human Services programs, state scores – and our overall national score – will backslide substantially.”

Access the report at this link.

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