By Sammy Caiola, December 18, 2019, for Capital Public Radio
When Susan Yee Kearns brought her son home from the hospital a year and a half ago, she started worrying about him almost immediately. She woke up thinking he might have died. She was afraid to be away from him.
“There was a lot of anxiety,” the Sacramento mom said.
So she sought mental health help through her Medi-Cal insurance. But Yee Kearns' provider told her that Medi-Cal would only cover 60 days of treatment. When it was over, she wasn’t sure what to do.
“I remember thinking, I wish I could keep going,” she said. “I wish I could still see someone for the full year, even longer. I felt like I did need that support.”
Maternal mental health issues affect nearly one in five moms, according to the California Task Force on the Status of Maternal Mental Health Care. California is taking some steps to make sure patients who grapple with these conditions get more affordable and reliable treatment.
Starting in January, mothers on Medi-Cal will be covered for maternal mental health treatment for a full year instead of the current 60 days. More than $8 million is allocated in the state budget for this expansion.
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