Recent report cards paint a concerning picture of maternal health in the United States. The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, in collaboration with George Washington University’s School of Public Health, has developed a nationwide maternal mental health report card. By evaluating the policies and programs across all 50 states and across several domains that influence maternal mental health, the report explores mothers’ uneven access to mental and behavioral health services. States were evaluated on efforts to improve access, including clinician availability, insurance coverage, screening, support services and parental support.
The report identifies significant gaps in resources and services available to families during pregnancy and the postpartum months. Researchers found that parents continue to encounter both mental health challenges and systemic barriers to accessing care.
The United States received an overall grade of C across all domains, a slight improvement from a C- in 2025. Although no state earned an A, for the first time in the report’s history, no state earned an overall F.
This year, a new “Parental Support” domain was introduced, measuring public paid parental leave, childcare availability, and affordability and eligibility for childcare subsidies. The states collectively earned a failing grade in this domain. Using these report cards, states can make targeted, evidence-based efforts to address gaps in maternal mental health.
Babies Rely on Parents’ Wellbeing
When parents experience depression, anxiety and other perinatal mental health concerns, the whole family may struggle. Those difficulties can interfere with parent-child bonding, breastfeeding and the routine care that newborns require. For parents of premature or medically fragile infants, the emotional demands of a NICU stay are associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Clinical support that strengthens parent-child attachment benefits the family long after discharge from the hospital.
Federal Investment in Families
Following the release of the report cards, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Moms Matter Act. The Moms Matter Act increases investment in community-based programs that provide culturally responsive mental health services, empowering a health care workforce to improve the detection and treatment of mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum care. By expanding funds and training for care teams already working with underserved populations, the bill’s funding would connect families with timely screening and prompt care within the communities they already trust.
These state report cards should serve as a roadmap for future policy improvements. The long-term value behind prioritizing healthy pregnancies and family bonds makes maternal mental health an essential investment for the future.
