Rising Numbers of Mental Health Providers, But \u201cDark Zones\u201d Exist<\/span><\/h3>\nBetween 2023 and 2025, the number of maternal mental health providers has more than doubled; however, increases in providers and resources were more commonly observed in areas with low risk for maternal mental health disorders. While higher risk counties did report increases, albeit smaller, in the number of MMH providers, most reproductive-aged people continue to live in counties with inadequate numbers of providers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn 2023, the Policy Center identified \u201cDark Zones\u201d, counties that have a high risk of mental health disorders, as well as an inadequate number of MMH providers.\u00a0 <\/span>Maternal mental health \u201cDark Zones\u201d are defined as counties with a RFS of 25 or greater and a Provider\/Program Shortage Gap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe report notes that the distribution of providers is misaligned with risk.\u00a0 Most providers and programs\u00a0 are clustered in metropolitan areas with the lowest risk for poor MMH.<\/span><\/p>\n\n- The number of MMH providers grew from 4,506 to 9,694 between 2023 and 2025, largely in lower-risk areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- The number of counties identified as Dark Zones has decreased slightly from 157 to 146.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Nonetheless, <\/span>84% of birthing-aged women still live in areas with a shortage of MMH resources.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Populations in Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Tennessee face the largest gaps<\/span><\/li>\n
- The U.S. still needs over 9,500 additional MMH providers and programs to close the gap.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Policy Recommendations<\/h3>\n
Over the last 20 years, we have focused on increasing public awareness and improving efforts to screen for and treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders; however, the current report suggests that in order to meaningfully\u00a0 improve maternal mental health, we also need to address other factors that contribute to poor maternal mental health.\u00a0 Federal and state policymakers urgently need to support interventions addressing the needs of childbearing individuals in the United States, especially those in counties with the greatest risk. Solutions could include:<\/span><\/p>\nThe report calls for targeted federal and state interventions to address the maternal mental health crisis:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Invest in Holistic Support:<\/strong> Increase funding for Family Resource Centers and community-based organizations, especially in high-risk counties.<\/span>\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Expand Healthcare Coverage:<\/strong> Ensure comprehensive healthcare access for pregnant and postpartum women, including mental health services up to one year after birth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Support Innovative Care Models:<\/strong> Encourage Medicaid and commercial insurers to cover group prenatal care, mental health therapies, and other interventions to improve access to care.<\/span>\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Establish Task Forces:<\/strong> Especially in high-risk,underserved counties, create cross-sector state or county commissions to develop tailored strategies to address local, county-specific barriers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Strengthen Psychiatric Consultation:<\/strong> Fund and maintain psychiatric consultation services for OB\/Gyns to improve provider capacity and expertise.<\/span>\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Require Insurer Coverage of Birth Doulas, Postpartum Doulas, and Home Health Nursing Care<\/strong>:<\/strong> States should require Medicaid and commercial insurers to cover birth and postpartum doulas and postpartum home visits.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While the 2025 report indicates that the United States has made progress in training and deploying more maternal mental health providers, the risk for maternal mental health disorders is actually rising, and resource gaps remain acute in many regions. Bridging these disparities requires innovative, coordinated policy changes and sustained investment in both clinical and community-based supports.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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