A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine
Abstract Background Although highly prevalent, most perinatal mental health and substance use disorders often go unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated. Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs have emerged as a successful model to increase the capacity of front-line maternal health care providers to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03561-1 |
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| author | Courtney King Marie Hayes Lizmarie Maldonado Elizabeth Monter Rubin Aujla Erin Phlegar Claire Smith Liz Parker Kerry Blome Amanda Sandford Edie Douglas Constance Guille |
| author_facet | Courtney King Marie Hayes Lizmarie Maldonado Elizabeth Monter Rubin Aujla Erin Phlegar Claire Smith Liz Parker Kerry Blome Amanda Sandford Edie Douglas Constance Guille |
| author_sort | Courtney King |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Although highly prevalent, most perinatal mental health and substance use disorders often go unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated. Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs have emerged as a successful model to increase the capacity of front-line maternal health care providers to address perinatal mental health conditions through education, consultation, and increased resources and referrals. Methods This model has been adapted in South Carolina to include direct access to mental health treatment in response to inadequate maternity care and mental health services, including a large proportion of rural, Medically Underserved Areas in Primary Care and Mental Health Healthcare Provider Shortage Areas throughout the state. Moms IMPACTT [Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring] leverages statewide partnerships and a virtual care model to provide: 1) people who are pregnant or within 1 year postpartum with immediate access by phone or internet to a clinician trained in perinatal psychiatric care coordination to assess and refer to an appropriate level of perinatal psychiatry services; 2) communication and care coordination with the person’s healthcare provider, as appropriate; and 3) healthcare provider training and real-time psychiatric consultation for the management and treatment of perinatal mental health and substance use disorders. Adaptations to this care model have demonstrated benefit including increase access to care for patients with perinatal mental health and substance use disorders and support for frontline health providers serving this population. Results Within the first 12 months, the Mom’s IMPACTT program served people from 45 of the 46 counties in South Carolina. There were 938 encounters, 96% of which resulted in telehealth or teleconsultation with a care coordinator or program psychiatrist. Treatment was provided to 881 perinatal patients (54.6% White, 26.1% Black, 6.2% Hispanic) of whom 51.8% were insured by Medicaid, 89.7% resided in counties designed as fully Medically Underserved Areas, and 38.9% lived in counties designed as fully rural. Most calls were received directly from perinatal patients, with 60.7% (548/903) of patients requesting mental health support. Additionally, the program completed 22 consultations, and trainings with 443 healthcare providers throughout the state. Conclusions Adaptations made to psychiatry access program evident in Moms IMPACTT appear to be successful in meeting the specific needs of birthing people in the state of South Carolina. Suggestions and considerations are included to replicate the success of Moms IMPACTT program elsewhere. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-615e6dafc7ca420387eb990e0f980bc6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-615e6dafc7ca420387eb990e0f980bc62025-01-26T12:50:42ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-01-0125111010.1186/s12905-025-03561-1A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicineCourtney King0Marie Hayes1Lizmarie Maldonado2Elizabeth Monter3Rubin Aujla4Erin Phlegar5Claire Smith6Liz Parker7Kerry Blome8Amanda Sandford9Edie Douglas10Constance Guille11Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Healthcare Leadership and Management, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South CarolinaAbstract Background Although highly prevalent, most perinatal mental health and substance use disorders often go unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated. Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs have emerged as a successful model to increase the capacity of front-line maternal health care providers to address perinatal mental health conditions through education, consultation, and increased resources and referrals. Methods This model has been adapted in South Carolina to include direct access to mental health treatment in response to inadequate maternity care and mental health services, including a large proportion of rural, Medically Underserved Areas in Primary Care and Mental Health Healthcare Provider Shortage Areas throughout the state. Moms IMPACTT [Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring] leverages statewide partnerships and a virtual care model to provide: 1) people who are pregnant or within 1 year postpartum with immediate access by phone or internet to a clinician trained in perinatal psychiatric care coordination to assess and refer to an appropriate level of perinatal psychiatry services; 2) communication and care coordination with the person’s healthcare provider, as appropriate; and 3) healthcare provider training and real-time psychiatric consultation for the management and treatment of perinatal mental health and substance use disorders. Adaptations to this care model have demonstrated benefit including increase access to care for patients with perinatal mental health and substance use disorders and support for frontline health providers serving this population. Results Within the first 12 months, the Mom’s IMPACTT program served people from 45 of the 46 counties in South Carolina. There were 938 encounters, 96% of which resulted in telehealth or teleconsultation with a care coordinator or program psychiatrist. Treatment was provided to 881 perinatal patients (54.6% White, 26.1% Black, 6.2% Hispanic) of whom 51.8% were insured by Medicaid, 89.7% resided in counties designed as fully Medically Underserved Areas, and 38.9% lived in counties designed as fully rural. Most calls were received directly from perinatal patients, with 60.7% (548/903) of patients requesting mental health support. Additionally, the program completed 22 consultations, and trainings with 443 healthcare providers throughout the state. Conclusions Adaptations made to psychiatry access program evident in Moms IMPACTT appear to be successful in meeting the specific needs of birthing people in the state of South Carolina. Suggestions and considerations are included to replicate the success of Moms IMPACTT program elsewhere.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03561-1PerinatalPregnantPostpartumMaternal mental healthRuralMedically underserved |
| spellingShingle | Courtney King Marie Hayes Lizmarie Maldonado Elizabeth Monter Rubin Aujla Erin Phlegar Claire Smith Liz Parker Kerry Blome Amanda Sandford Edie Douglas Constance Guille A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine BMC Women's Health Perinatal Pregnant Postpartum Maternal mental health Rural Medically underserved |
| title | A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| title_full | A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| title_fullStr | A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| title_full_unstemmed | A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| title_short | A perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| title_sort | perinatal psychiatry access program to address rural and medically underserved populations using telemedicine |
| topic | Perinatal Pregnant Postpartum Maternal mental health Rural Medically underserved |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03561-1 |
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