Perinatal psychiatry access programs increase access to behavioral health care for pregnant and postpartum patients and improve quality of care by building the capacity of health care professionals to address perinatal mental health and substance use disorders. This session will introduce NC Maternal Mental Health MATTERS—a perinatal psychiatry access program in North Carolina that has advanced access to perinatal behavioral healthcare across the state. Drawing on six years of performance metrics, real-world case studies, and patient and provider survey data, we will highlight how NC MATTERS streamlines on-demand psychiatric consultation and coordinated care to enhance workforce capacity, improve patient outcomes, and advance health equity. Attendees will gain practical strategies for how a perinatal psychiatry access program (there are 30 statewide or regional access programs) can create sustainable integrated care solutions that can make a difference in maternal and family mental health.
Burns Karen MSW, LCSW-A, PMH-C, Research Instructor, UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Psychiatry, Durham, NC

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