HJBR Jul/Aug 2022

42 JUL / AUG 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE LDH CORNER 2. Medicaid now covers mother and care- giver depression screenings during well child visits. We launched a pilot program with four pediatric providers to offer screenings and connect care- givers with other resources. 3. Medicaid now covers the use of remote blood pressure monitoring devices to treat hypertension. 4. We are working to launch a voluntary registry of doulas, labor assistants who help guide families through pregnancy and advocate on their behalf during la- bor and delivery, to help improve ma- ternal health. COLUMN LDH CORNER Extending Post-Partum Care from Six Weeks to 12 Months The pediatric post-partum depression screening and the blood pressure home monitoring initiatives are part of our Medicaid coverage, which now extends post-partum coverage from six weeks to 12 months. New moms can experience any num- ber of medical conditions, including com- plications from childbirth, depression, or anxiety, all while caring for their baby. This extension will provide continuous, reliable coverage to women, opening up a range of longer-term options for the care they need. OUR PLAN started with working with our hospitals on the things we could change right away. Now we are looking deeper, dig- ging into how we can meet families well be- yond the delivery room with strategies that work. It is an extension of our partnerships with hospitals but is intentionally focused on meeting families where they are — in the home and in their community. Here are some of the new programs and services that are meeting the diverse needs of our families: 1. This year, Louisiana became the first state to extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant and post-partum mothers from six weeks to 12 months. The Louisiana Department of Health continues to make improvements in the health of women in our state, but there is much more work to do. Protecting mothers from preventable, life- threatening complications before, during, and after delivering a baby is one of our top priorities. Meeting Louisiana Families Where They Are to Improve Maternal and Early Childhood Health