Charlie Brereton Director at Montana Department of Public Health | LinkedIn
Charlie Brereton Director at Montana Department of Public Health | LinkedIn
Governor Greg Gianforte, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton and the Montana Healthcare Foundation (MHF), has announced a $7.5 million investment aimed at improving healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum women across Montana. This funding, sourced from both federal contributions and private funds from MHF, will expand behavioral health care services to all 31 hospitals in the state that deliver babies through the Meadowlark Initiative.
“There’s no more important role in life than being a parent,” stated Governor Gianforte. “With this investment, we’re improving health care for new and expecting moms, strengthening our families and communities.”
The Meadowlark Initiative is a collaborative effort between DPHHS and MHF designed to support prenatal and postpartum care teams along with behavioral health providers. The initiative currently operates in 19 facilities but will now extend its reach to cover all relevant hospitals statewide.
“As part of our strong commitment to improving access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services, DPHHS is proud to continue this partnership and eager to expand to more Montana communities,” commented Charlie Brereton. He highlighted the program's positive impact on child welfare by offering preventive care when families need it most.
Meadowlark also assists patients with substance use disorders by coordinating with local Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) offices. Care coordinators help establish relationships between patients' prenatal teams and CFSD staff, facilitating a "plan of safe care" for families affected by substance use issues.
“Meadowlark care is improving outcomes for families across Montana,” noted Aaron Wernham, MD, Chief Executive Officer of MHF.
An evaluation conducted last year revealed that women under Meadowlark's care received better prenatal attention, with adequate prenatal care rates increasing from 68% to 85% at participating sites.
“These results are encouraging, but more work remains,” added Dr. Wernham. “Montana continues to demonstrate a great need for substance use disorder and mental health services and support for pregnant and postpartum women.”
This expansion follows recent Medicaid coverage secured by Governor Gianforte for mothers up to 12 months postpartum.
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