California now has new maternal mental health screening requirements, which it hopes will lead to better care of pregnant and postpartum patients. Under the policy, a health care professional dealing with prenatal care or after birth care is required to perform at least one mental health screening during pregnancy, a screening during the first six weeks after childbirth, and carry out further postpartum screenings in case medically required.

The rules coincide with the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which recommends that obstetric health care providers, such as obstetricians, gynecologists, and others, be screened for depression and anxiety during the first prenatal appointment, during pregnancy, and during postpartum visits using validated and standardizable tools.

Maternal Mental Health Screenings

• Tools like the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) are commonly used.
• In addition to administering screenings, clinical staff are expected to initiate reasonable medical treatment and/or refer patients to mental health services when it is needed.
• The referrals should also be monitored to see whether patients received treatment.

Providers can access the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal to find further guidance, resources, and support, including 24/7 chat assistance. Maternal and mental health screening quick reference guide resources are also available.