The Meadowlark Initiative® integrates behavioral health screening and services, care coordination, and navigation to community resources into prenatal and postpartum care to keep moms and babies healthy and families together.
All pregnant women and their families need support to have a healthy pregnancy and prepare for their growing family. Depression, anxiety, and harmful substance use are common issues that can contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes.
The Meadowlark Initiative® was founded on evidence that a team-based, non-judgmental, and culturally responsive model of care improves outcomes for moms, children, and families. When health providers have the tools and staffing they need to provide whole-person care for their pregnant patients, they can improve health outcomes for mothers and babies and help Montana families thrive.
The Meadowlark Initiative® is funded and supported through a partnership between the Montana Healthcare Foundation and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The Meadowlark Initiative® One-Pager
Spotlight
The Meadowlark Initiative® Video
The Meadowlark Initiative® brings together clinical and community teams to provide the right care at the right time for women and families, improve health outcomes for mothers and babies, and keep families together and children out of foster care.
This video provides a snapshot of how the initiative is working in Montana
Participating Sites
The initiative actively supports women in communities with 20 of the 26 delivering hospitals in the state, and Meadowlark care is also now available to women and families on five reservations.
Visit our Grant Library to learn more about each initiative project.
Click a map marker to view details for each past or present participating grantee site.
Our Approach: Meadowlark Model of Care
This initiative uses the “Meadowlark model of care,” which integrates behavioral health into prenatal and postpartum care and coordinates patient care and community resources for patients and families.
Participation in the initiative supports prenatal care clinics to implement the model of care which is tailored to meet each community’s needs and available resources. As part of the model, all patients are universally screened for anxiety, depression, substance use, and needs related to the social determinants of health. If a patient has a positive screen or requests additional support, a behavioral health provider is available to meet, assess the issue, and initiate any needed treatment, generally during the same visit. If any social needs are identified – like access to safe housing, affordable food, or reliable transportation – the care coordinator will work with trusted local and state organizations to navigate each patient to available resources. This model helps prenatal care providers better address the behavioral health and social issues that contribute to poor pregnancy and postpartum outcomes.
Organizations participating in the initiative have shown what a powerful difference they can make for Montana families. A recent evaluation showed that Meadowlark sites have a higher-than-average percentage of women receiving adequate prenatal care, a lower-than-average percentage of premature births, a decrease in infant removals, and an increase in universal screening for depression and substance use disorders.
Our Support
We provide grant funding and technical assistance for prenatal care clinics to develop an integrated, comprehensive program for pregnant women and families so their physical, mental, and social health needs can be met in one place. The Meadowlark model of care emphasizes a culture of care and trust that supports the best outcomes for moms and their babies.
Funding to join the initiative is available to at least one prenatal practice in each Montana community with a hospital that delivers babies. Prenatal care providers who see Medicaid patients, including family practitioners, obstetricians, midwives, and rural hospitals, are encouraged to apply. All funding under this initiative is by invitation only.
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Contact
If you have a question about this initiative, please email our program team.