By Policy Center’s Legislative and Regulatory Policy Team

Our work shaping and reporting on national mental health policy is made possible through a 2023-2024 capacity grant from the Perigee Fund.

An announcement released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) named the award winners in the final phase of the $1.8 million HHS Racial Equity in Postpartum Care Challenge. This nationwide endeavor, spearheaded by the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), aims to advance equity in postpartum care for Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

In the words of Assistant Secretary for Health Admira Rachel Levine, "Maternal health equity is fundamental to everything that we're doing under HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra's leadership and through the Biden-Harris administration. We’re working tirelessly to improve these disparities through this program and many others."

The significance of this initiative cannot be overstated, given the stark racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related outcomes. Black and AI/AN women experience pregnancy-related deaths at rates three to four times higher than White women, with higher risks of gestational diabetes, postpartum depression, and hypertension. The HHS recognizes the urgency of addressing these disparities, and through programs like the Racial Equity in Postpartum Care Challenge, strides are being made toward tangible solutions.

Phase two of the challenge has yielded remarkable results, with winners demonstrating innovative approaches to improve postpartum care for marginalized communities. Let's take a closer look at some of the outstanding programs recognized:

MommaConnect mHealth App by Benten Technologies – Philadelphia, PA: Leveraging digital healthcare technology, MommaConnect provides remote access to psychotherapy for pregnant and postpartum women, effectively addressing postpartum depression symptoms and improving mental health outcomes.

The Integrated Perinatal Clinic by Center for Women’s Mental Health (Johns Hopkins) – Baltimore, Maryland: This program expanded mental health protocols by providing screenings for pregnant and postpartum women, resulting in decreased unplanned hospital visits and improved health outcomes.

Mammha at Children's National Medical Center – Washington, DC: Mammha, a mobile and web-based app program, increased the identification of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) screenings and referrals for at-risk mothers, extending its services to parents with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

These initiatives, along with others recognized in the final phase, represent critical steps toward achieving health equity in postpartum care. As Dorothy Fink, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health, aptly puts it, "Recognizing innovative programs demonstrating successful outcomes enables sustainable change in these communities."

HHS Announces Final Phase Winners in Challenge to Enhance Racial Equity in Postpartum Care

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