Mental health concerns arising during the first years of life can develop into serious problems if not identified and treated promptly. Families with low incomes may not be able to afford these services unless they care covered by Medicaid. To provide more robust services, state Medicaid plans can cover infant and early childhood mental health (I-ECMH) services in any of the following settings: home, pediatric/family medicine practices, and early care and education programs.
This indicator was not updated for the State of Babies Yearbook: 2023. A survey administered by the National Center for Children in Poverty asked participants if the state’s Medicaid plan provides coverage for services to address a child’s mental health needs provided by an early childhood mental health specialist in early care and education settings, pediatric settings, or family medicine settings. The data reflect policies as of 2018. Georgia’s Medicaid only covers mental health services for children ages 4 and above.
Clinton, J., Feller, A. F., Williams, R. C. (2016). The importance of infant mental health. Paediatrics and Child Health 21(5), 239-241. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/21.5.239
Source:
Smith, S., Granja, M. R., Nguyen, U. T., & Rajani, K. (2018). How states use Medicaid to cover key infant and early childhood mental health services: Results of a 50-state survey (2018 Update). National Center for Children in Poverty. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-8rre-9y19