The Government Shutdown is Over. What is the Funding Status of Maternal Mental Health Programs?
The federal government is back in business after the longest shutdown on record (43 days).
Congress voted this week to reopen the government with a spending package that:
Provides full-year funding for some federal departments and agencies.
Extends partial funding for the remaining federal departments and agencies until January 30, 2026.
Provides back pay for federal workers, including active duty military personnel.
Some members of Congress are hoping to vote before Thanksgiving to fund additional agencies and departments, including the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the majority of maternal-child and mental health programs and provisions.
Here’s a brief recap of the funding status for the two programs that MMHLA is responsible for.
Funding Status: The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline ("the Hotline")
What is the Hotline?
The Hotline provides 24/7 voice and text support in English and Spanish, and has helped 70,000+ individuals since May 2022.
Funding Status During the Shutdown:
Unaffected.
Future Funding:
The Hotline is included in a funding package that will likely be voted on before Thanksgiving.
The Hotline is projected to be funded at $8 million, which is an increase of $1 million over previous funding.
Additional funding will be used for outreach to rural and military mothers.
Funding Status: The Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Program (MMH-SUD Program)
What is the MMH-SUD Program?
The MMH-SUD Program provides grants to 12 states and Los Angeles County to create state-based maternal mental health programs that support healthcare providers and the perinatal patients they serve.
Funding Status During the Shutdown:
Unaffected.
Future Funding:
This program is also included in the funding package that will likely be voted on before Thanksgiving.
This program is projected to be funded at $12–$13.5 million, which is an increase over current funding of $11 million.
Additional funding will be used to launch additional state and/or territory programs.
Funding Status: Other Maternal & Child Health Programs
Many of us are concerned about the funding status of programs such as SNAP, WIC, and Head Start, to name a few.
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) provides timely policy updates on these and other programs that impact mothers and children in the U.S.
Their statement from today, November 13, 2025, shares updates on the funding status of programs such as SNAP, WIC, Healthy Start, and others.
Visit their website to stay informed.
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