Maternal depression: Strengthening systems of care

Maternal depression affects 10% to 20% of mothers within the first year of birth and contributes to staggering economic costs. Therefore, improving the health of mothers, infants and children is an important public health goal for the United States. Their well-being can predict future public health challenges for families. Reducing the incidence of maternal depression requires strong policies, early identification and treatment and routine standards of care. Strengthening systems of care for women with maternal depression needs cross-collaboration and coordinated efforts from many stakeholders to eliminate barriers and to ensure that diagnosis and treatment successfully advance. There have been calls to provide greater resources and funding to build or strengthen the capacity to offer quality maternal depression programs and services, to develop more effective screening and diagnostic tools and to reduce disparities in diagnosis and treatment. With grants totaling $800,000, the Highmark Foundation assisted 5 organizations with implementing programs designed to: (1) bridge silos of care with a quality improvement initiative for underserved pregnant women and mothers at-risk for maternal depression; (2) coordinate medical care and supportive services through a single point of contact; and (3) expand or improve existing screening tools to facilitate services for maternal depression. To measure programs' effectiveness, maternal depression screening tools were routinely administered. Results demonstrated that at-risk women were receiving appropriate services and being referred for treatment earlier after diagnosis. Grantees were successful in improving access to services, increasing the number of women screened and reducing disparities in diagnosis and treatment.