This week, I head to Washington DC to meet with members of Congress about maternity care.

I will be joined by several colleagues from non-profit organizations, including leaders from groups like Every Mother Counts, The Preeclampsia Foundation, Improving Birth and March for Moms. With more women ever serving in congress, it’s a particularly exciting time to address women’s health and maternity issues.

We have been asked to share what we believe should be the highest priorities in improving maternity care. This includes maternal mental health.

If I were in position to write two federal laws, this is what I’d write.

Wow, 2018!

I'm pleased to share our 2018 Impact Report infographic and some of our 2018 highlights below.

If you have followed our work, you know our most celebrated accomplishment was our sponsorship and the passage of three pieces of key maternal mental health legislation. These bills made up the most comprehensive MMH legislative package ever.

We’ve had a few surreal moments in maternal mental health this fall, this one is definitely a moment that the maternal mental health community should be jumping up and down about.
In September the federal government’s Health and Human Services Agency (HRSA) announced it has awarded 4.5 million in grants to seven lucky states to address maternal mental health over five years (2018-2023).

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently released a draft recommendation addressing screening women at risk in order to provide counseling as preventive care: Perinatal Depression: Preventive Interventions. You might recall

Today, September 10 is International Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day, and it’s time to talk about maternal suicide including maternal suicide reporting in the U.S.

The United Kingdom last reported that suicide is its #1 cause of maternal mortality.  Just three days ago, Japan announced the same.

Depression is a horrific illness that affects as many as 10% of Americans at any one time. Depression is a brain disease that can cause confusion and distortions in thinking, as well as interference with basic physiologic functions, including: sleep, energy, appetite, motor function and more.