MENTAL HEALTH & SUD

Current Initiatives

AMCHP is committed to supporting our members to address mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) among MCH populations at the state level and to advocating at the national level. Learn more about why this is a priority area for AMCHP and our members and how we are committed to addressing this through our strategic plan and legislative agenda.

Check out the Mental Health Corner in AMCHP’s Member Briefs to stay up-to-date on mental health events and happenings.

Current Initiatives

Supported by the greater Adolescent and Young Adult Health National Resource Center (AYAH-NRC), AMCHP co-leads the AYA Behavioral Health Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN), composed of multidisciplinary teams from select states. These teams operate through their public health systems (led by state Title V/maternal and child health programs) and primary care systems (led by clinical partners and practices).

To respond to this growing mental health crisis, the AYAH-NRC is mobilizing the CoIIN to improve depression screening and follow-up for young people through 1.) systems-level behavioral health integration in primary care, and 2.) increasing screening rates for Major Depressive Episodes (MDEs) in clinical settings using practice-based quality improvement tools and methods. The goal is to achieve an 80 percent screening rate for MDE in patients ages 12 to 25 using an age-appropriate standardized tool, with documentation of a follow-up plan when screen results are positive. To learn more about the AYA-Behavioral Health CoIIN, please refer to the current initiatives on the Adolescent Health page.

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Twitter: @AMCHP_GrowingUp
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Access to quality health care for MCH populations is a nationwide concern. Nowhere is this more apparent than in access to substance use and mental health services. The goal of the PRISM project is to build the capacity of Title V MCH leaders to develop and implement policy initiatives that improve access to substance use disorder and mental health care for reproductive-age women. PRISM is a joint effort of AMCHP and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

Multi-State Learning Collaborative

The PRISM project supports state teams through a cohort learning collaborative model. Nine states and jurisdictions have participated in PRISM cohorts, through which they receive training and technical assistance from AMCHP and ASTHO on promising approaches to improve  behavioral health for reproductive-age women and engage in peer learning opportunities  

Behavioral health learning opportunities for the MCH field

The PRISM team offers educational opportunities for states to advance policy and programming to address mental health and substance use disorders among MCH populations. Topics have included: addressing barriers to prevention, treatment, and recovery; perinatal harm reduction; strategies for working with policymakers and state legislatures on behavioral health initiatives, approaches to destigmatizing behavioral health; and primary care integration. 

The PRISM team also partners with other national organizations working at the intersection of behavioral health and MCH, including the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD), the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC).

Email prism@astho.org to sign-up for the PRISM monthly newsletter.

Funded by HRSA/MCHB, AMCHP’s Core Cooperative Agreement includes a focus on current and emerging public health issues, including mental health and substance use disorders in MCH populations. This project includes information-sharing on best practices and approaches to improve mental and emotional health and well-being within MCH. AMCHP also provides technical assistance to state Title V programs to address challenges in responding to the mental and behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery needs within their states. Two recent technical assistance topic areas include building the capacity of Title V to develop and implement anti-stigma activities and developing strategies for integrating primary and behavioral health care for MCH populations along the continuum of care. To carry out this work, AMCHP collaborates with national, state, and local mental health organizations and agencies as well as subject matter experts to provide training to state MCH program staff on key cultural and socioeconomic considerations for mental health and substance use disorders for different MCH populations.

The Mental Health Team is composed of staff from AMCHP’s six content teams. Internally, the AMCHP mental health team envisions an organization that is well-positioned to build the capacity of Title V programs to address the behavioral health needs of their MCH populations. Externally, AMCHP envisions a future where mental health is seen as integral to overall health for MCH populations. AMCHP promotes integrated systems, reducing stigma, and increasing access to mental health and substance use services. To strive toward these internal and external goals, the Mental Health Team has three primary functions.

  1. Build the capacity of AMCHP staff to integrate mental health programming into their existing projects and grant proposals.
  2. Support the implementation of services and activities that promote the mental health of AMCHP staff and their families.
  3. Provide guidance and support to state Title V staff to address mental health issues in MCH populations.

To contact the AMCHP Mental Health Team, please email mentalhealth@amchp.org.

MENTAL HEALTH & SUD

Recent Resources & Tools