2022-2026 Perinatal Health Strategic Plan
Goal 3 – Improve Health Care for All People of Reproductive Age
Point 9. Expand access to high quality health care
- Expand Medicaid to provide affordable, comprehensive health, behavioral health, and dental insurance coverage, including mobile health and telehealth, for all
- Increase access to and utilization of the comprehensive adolescent well visit, including time for confidential reproductive health conversations between provider and patient
- Increase flexibility in office hours of providers to include evenings and weekends, and ensure that care is affordable
- Increase the uptake of vaccinations
- Implement more community-informed education, including a social media campaign aimed at men, to increase use of preventive health care
- Create and engage patient and family advisory councils that have influence in decisions at hospitals and clinics
- Increase access to and utilization of medical and dental homes
- Expand access to family centered SUD treatment, including services for opioid use disorders
- Implement the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars program to recruit and train students of color and students from rural backgrounds to become providers in underserved areas
- Expand the use of health innovations such as mobile health, telehealth, and linked electronic health records (EHR), and maintain gains made in this area during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Make it easier for families and people of reproductive age to receive mental, physical, and behavioral health supports, including breastfeeding support, during times of disaster and recovery
- Increase the use of Medicaid Transportation to ensure appointments are accessible
Point 10. Improve access to and quality of maternal care in all settings
- Expand the use of evidence-based and evidence-informed models of perinatal care highlighted in the Maternal Health Innovation Program, including doula services, CenteringPregnancy and CenteringParenting, and community health workers
- Integrate the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) bundles championed by the Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC) into maternal care
- Improve access to and utilization of first trimester prenatal care and comprehensive postpartum care
- Expand access to prenatal care by passing legislation that allows the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover immigrants without documentation
- Pass legislation supporting full practice authority for certified nurse-midwives
- Ensure that all pregnant people and high-risk infants have access to the appropriate level of care that align with national standards
- Increase use of the Levels of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe) by delivering/birthing hospitals
- Improve maternal care for incarcerated pregnant people by eliminating the use of shackling and ensuring adequate prenatal and postpartum care, nutrition, and breastfeeding support
- Improve WIC utilization in the first trimester by referring pregnant people to local WIC clinics
- Increase utilization of dental care by Medicaid for Pregnant Women recipients
- Promote access to comprehensive breastfeeding education and support services including medical lactation services
- Integrate the CDC’s Hear Her campaign on post-birth warning signs into provider and patient education
- Increase use of the North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line (NCPAL)/NC Maternal Health MATTERS Line to improve access to maternal mental health services
- Develop an evidence-based assessment tool to aid North Carolina health care facilities in assessing their capabilities for the provision of perinatal mental health care
- Increase use of the NC Perinatal Substance Use Project hotline to improve access to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting people
- Develop and implement a public health awareness campaign around maternal health for the general public
- Support the creation of a statewide 24-hour breastfeeding support hotline
- Develop education on trauma-informed breastfeeding support and consultation for maternal and pediatric care providers
- Establish a licensure board for the provision of lactation services provided by Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and Lactation Counselors (CLCs)
- Include preconception and reproductive health in health education programs to reach students of all genders in middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, graduate schools, community colleges, and adult learning programs
- Increase Prepaid Health Plan (PHP)/payor implementation of preconception health screenings during primary care visits
- Increase the number of programs that provide adolescents with information on reproductive health and healthy relationships (e.g., PREPare for Success)
- Eliminate coercion and bias in service delivery and barriers to contraceptive access for people of reproductive age
- Implement the “Be Smart” Family Planning Medicaid Program Strategic Plan
- Increase access to reproductive life planning and referrals to resources in the NC Perinatal and Maternal Substance Use and CASAWORKS for Families Residential Initiatives
- Increase social media campaigns on preconception health awareness (e.g., Ready for Life and Show Your Love)
- Implement the “Get Real. Get Tested. Get Treatment.” campaign to increase testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
Point 12. Provide interconception care
- Increase the number of primary care providers across the state
- Increase the number of primary care providers who accept Medicaid
- Expand Medicaid coverage to 12 months for the postpartum period
- Expand Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) dental coverage to at least 60 days postpartum
- Eliminate coercion in service delivery and barriers to contraceptive access for people of reproductive age, and implement patient-centered decision-making strategies
- Increase same-day access to all methods of contraception
- Increase pediatric sites partnering to implement efforts focused on maternal health such as depression and tobacco use screenings (e.g., IMPLICIT Network)
- Increase reimbursement for services that are recommended by the 4th Trimester Project, especially education on post-birth warning signs
- Increase care coordination through the implementation of the Provider Support Network
- Increase the number of provider trainings on the AIM postpartum bundle
Last Modified: April 24, 2023