Moving the Needle on Maternal and Infant Mortality

Sobering maternal and infant mortality statistics have motivated Medicaid and public health agencies to partner to develop strategies that increase the likelihood of healthy outcomes before, during, and following birth. In this Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, staff from New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia Medicaid, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, discuss ways states are working to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, specifically the significant disparity experienced by black women. Learn how data dashboards, mandatory perinatal assessments, expansion of coverage to include home visiting and doulas, and shared messaging to the community are showing promising outcomes.

The conversation is moderated by Gretchen Hammer, senior strategic advisor to the National Association of Medicaid Directors, with insights from Mark Larson, senior vice president of leadership and capacity building, Center for Health Care Strategies.

For more information on maternal and infant mortality, consider these resources:

• ASTHOExperts: Health Equity and Healing Hate: A Conversation with Normal Oliver
• ASTHOBrief: Stigma Reinforces Barriers to Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Women with Substance Use Disorder
• CDC Levels of Care Assessment Tool (CDC LOCATe)

Medicaid Leadership Exchange is a podcast series exploring priority topics for Medicaid leaders developed in partnership with NAMD and the Center for Health Care Strategies through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Visit Medicaid Leadership Exchange for more podcasts, or look for the podcast series on iTunes, or wherever you download your podcasts.