The Biden administration on Tuesday announced the first national maternal mental health strategy, seeking specific actions from Congress and multiple federal agencies to reduce the effects of untreated mental health and substance use conditions during and after pregnancy.
The plan, and a report to Congress, come as conditions related to mental health and substance use account for the largest share of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. The U.S. also leads among maternal deaths compared to other high-income countries.
The fiscal 2023 omnibus spending law directed the Department of Health and Human Services to form an advisory committee focused on maternal mental health care. The plan released Tuesday stems from the work of the resulting Task Force on Maternal Mental Health.
