Closing Gaps in Maternal Mental Healthcare
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health is a national think tank, nonprofit organization advancing policies that support a health care system that routinely detects and treats maternal mental health disorders for every mother, every time.
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).
Kate’s story:
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ - I am a mom, a wife, a business-owner, an advocate. I am trained as a therapist (professional counselor) and my expertise is maternal mental health. I am driven by the desire to walk the journey with mothers as they rediscover themselves as their young families grow. Maternal mental health is directly linked to child mental health, children grow up to be adults. Start with moms seems like the best place to start if we want to make the world a better place.
Read MoreApple’s story:
LOS ANGELES, CA - I am a pediatric occupational therapist and a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, a wife and a child and family advocate. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I am an advocate for children and families. Their vulnerability subjects them to circumstances outside of their choosing or control, and their experiences can have a lasting impact on their lives as well as on the generations after them.
Read MoreRobin’s story:
I knew I wanted to work with children and families since I was 15 years old. I have fulfilled this goal in many different roles over my career as a social worker. I have been in search of a “life’s work” for many years and I have found it in maternal mental health. I have made a commitment to myself that I will do this work for the rest of my life in some capacity. There is so much needless suffering that would not occur if moms were better educated and stigma was less. My drive comes . . .
Read MoreBridget’s story:
As a nurse and midwife, I have been passionate about helping moms and babies for as long as I can remember. I am currently a PhD student at Yale School of Nursing with a focus on maternal mental health and illness, and I am a Robert Wood Johnson Future of Nursing Scholar. I believe that healthy mother-child dyads are foundational to healthy communities and key to making the world a better place.
Read MoreElyse’s story:
LOS ANGELES, CA - Long before working in perinatal mental health, I was a clinician working with trauma - but because therapists and clinicians aren't regularly trained in maternal mental health, I was completely unaware and unprepared for the wallop of postpartum PTSD following the emergency c-section of my first child. Unfortunately, none of my care providers had MMH training themselves, and it took a lot of tears and my own research to figure out . . .
Read MoreRupa’s story:
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - I am a first generation South Asian female clinical psychologist. I believe in providing people with effective evidence-based treatments. I also believe in suicide prevention and intervention and helping educate and connect individuals at risk for MMH problems with resources that empower them . . .
Read MoreCBS News: 1 In 5 College Students So Stressed They Consider Suicide
College can be so stressful that many students think about killing themselves, and some even try, a new study suggests.
Among more than 67,000 students surveyed, over 20 percent said they . . .
Read MoreThe 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
Read MoreToday, 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.
Read MoreAlinne’s story:
BAY AREA, CA - I am a mom, wife, daughter, and sister. I grew up surrounded by strong, independent women who were able to find success (broadly defined) despite adversity. Through my work as a clinical psychologist I’ve heard and experienced countless stories of sacrifice.
Read MoreCarole’s story:
I’m a wife, mother, friend, and leader. I’m very blessed, but I’ve had my share of difficult times, too. I’m moved to help people who need support and don’t have the resources they need.
Read MoreJohn's story:
ST LOUIS, MO - Meet John, a 2020 Mom Board Member, and learn why John is moved to be a part of change in maternal mental health.
My name is John Smith. (The adventures I can tell you about my namesake are legendary.) I'm pleased to be serving as a new board member for 2020 Mom.
Read MoreWe’re introducing a new type of blog post based on your requests - to share “Craveable Content” - a summary of what articles are catching our Founder and Executive Director Joy Burkhard’s eye.
Read MoreDepression 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.
Read MoreWashington D.C. has always been a place that draws me. It is a place of action, compromise, debate, activism. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of this year’s Advocacy Days with 2020 Mom. I would like to take a moment to share three aspects of the few days in D.C. that were most impactful and memorable to me.
Read MoreOrigins of Mother’s Day
Did you know? Mother’s Day was officially founded in 1908 by Anna Jarvis in honor of her mother, Ann, who had been a bereaved parent of 12 children, only 4 of whom grew to adulthood. She intended the day to be an intimate celebration within families to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices mothers like hers make for their children.
In one of the latest new articles about AB 2193, in Rewire News, titled "Could a California Bill Be the Key to Addressing Mood Disorders in New Parents?" the writer notes, "The bill takes a somewhat unique approach to this issue, and is one that could become a model for other states."
Read MoreWe love April Dembosky, the reporter that has been covering maternal mental health here in California this year.
Last week, April published another story, "To Screen or Not to Screen - Doctors Debate Postpartum Depression Testing" which is scheduled to publish to Kaiser Health News and National Public Radio this week.
Do a quick read and then come back, as we want to share some points of our own in response to the article. Here goes:
Read MoreThis weekend something that has never happened in the maternal mental health happened:
a mother's story went viral on Facebook.
A mom in Sacramento California, went to her Ob/Gyn on Friday for help with postpartum depression with symptoms of anger and scary thoughts, and the next morning, Saturday, January 20, she posted this:
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