Michigan earns B- on maternal mental health care
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Many people struggling with maternal mental health are left untreated, experts say as a new report grades states on the quality of the care they provide.
Why it matters: About one in five U.S. moms experience maternity-related mental health conditions like postpartum depression, and most don't get the treatment they need.
- Michigan earned a B- overall on maternal mental health care in 2026, according to the report from the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health.
By the numbers: The Policy Center, in collaboration with George Washington University, didn't give out any A's in its fourth annual report card release. The U.S. earned a C overall.
Zoom in: Michigan's rating of B- is unchanged from last year, but up from a D in 2023.
- It scored well for Medicaid requiring health plans to collect prenatal and postpartum depression measures, and for having community organizations that provide maternal mental health services.
- The state lost points for not having enough maternal mental health therapists and not having a task force devoted to the issue.
Stunning stat: The U.S. earned an F on a new Policy Center measure that scored states on parental support — like paid leave and affordable, accessible child care — on a 5-star scale.
- Michigan also earned zero stars in this category for its lack of child care affordability and public paid parental leave, among other concerns.
What they're saying: "Many women never reach the systems that would identify and help them, which means the true scope of the problem is likely larger than what we can measure," Kara Zivin, professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan, said in a recent Q&A.
How it works: States were scored across 27 measures in four domains: screening and detection, providers and treatment, policy and payment, and the new parental support category.
The big picture: Untreated maternal mental health disorders are estimated to cost the U.S. $14.2 billion annually, according to the Policy Center.
The bottom line: "While we applaud the progress states are making, the U.S. is providing mediocre maternal mental health care at best," said Joy Burkhard, CEO of the Policy Center, which put together a road map to help states close gaps in maternal mental health.