On June 29, communities from across Massachusetts met in Boston at the State House for Bringing Postpartum Depression into the Light: Decreasing Stigma, Supporting Families and Implementing Policy Change in MA, a day of awareness hosted by the MA Commission on Postpartum Depression (PPD).
The Commission, which is co-chaired by Representative Ellen Story (D - Amherst) and Senator Joan Lovely (D - Salem), is charged with making recommendations to the Department of Public Health and the MA State Legislature on advancing best practices regarding PPD screening, treatment, and public and professional education.
Mothers with lived experience and committed leaders used the event to bring attention to PPD, a crucial public-health issue, and highlight the exciting progress occurring in Massachusetts that is improving perinatal mental-health outcomes for mothers and families, including: the work of the Massachusetts Commission on PPD, new MA Department of Public Health PPD screening regulations, the first anniversary of the important MCPAP for Moms program, and other successes from perinatal mental health coalitions.
"We are told having a baby is supposed to be a time of great joy. For many it brings on emotions never felt before. It is a devastating experience to feel like there is no hope. Mothers should feel surrounded by support. It is critical we educate and empower mothers in our communities to feel strength in a time that can be extremely scary," commented Jamie Belsito, a mom from Beverly, MA, who spoke at the event.
Research suggests that 10 - 20% of mothers experience PPD. These numbers drastically increase when additional risk factors such as poverty, domestic violence, addiction, and teen pregnancy are taken into consideration. In 2012, there were 72,457 births in Massachusetts, which means that up to 14,000 mothers were at risk for PPD. When undiagnosed and untreated, PPD can have severe negative effects on mothers, infants, and birth outcomes. While the risk and impact of PPD is critical, there is hope in Massachusetts that mothers and families can access the resources they need.
"When the expectation exists that a new mother will function as she did before the baby was born, the kind of attentiveness an infant requires will not only be challenging, it may be impossible. Faced with this expectation, many mothers feel very much alone. In contrast, when as a community we listen to and support new mothers, we support healthy growth and development of the whole family," said Dr. Claudia M. Gold, a pediatrician, writer, and director of the Early Childhood Social Emotional Health Program at Newton Wellesley Hospital, who was the keynote speaker.
MCPAP for Moms, a new program that began in July 2014, was highlighted for its work promoting maternal and child health by building the capacity of providers serving pregnant and postpartum women and their children up to one year after delivery to effectively prevent, identify, and manage postpartum depression.
"Pediatricians have been leading the charge for improving postpartum depression because we understand the importance of providers working together to create change for both the health of mothers and their families. I am pleased to be involved in raising awareness to this issue. MCPAP for Moms is an excellent program ensuring that providers are well informed and have access to the necessary resources so that we can care for families appropriately," said John H. Straus, M.D., Founding Director, Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP).
MotherWoman, a local non-profit based in Hadley, MA, was also represented, and announced its second annual Request for Proposal (RFP) grant opportunity, funded through the MA Department of Mental Health and MCPAP for Moms. Through this grant, communities will receive resources that will allow them to build a comprehensive safety net in their area to ensure moms and families receive the best perinatal mental health care and treatment available.
"Postpartum depression is really a community issue. Everyone involved with mom and baby from pregnancy through the first year can help support mothers and provide much needed resources. We look forward to this opportunity to bring perinatal mental health resources to additional communities across the state. It is our goal that all mothers in Massachusetts receive the necessary care and treatment they deserve." said Liz Friedman, Program Director, MotherWoman, who spoke at the event.
MotherWoman has actively worked to improve perinatal mental health for over 15 years, and in partnership with and funded by MCPAP for Moms, is currently implementing its Community-based Perinatal Support Model© (CPSM) in six communities across MA--Cape & Islands, Greater Lynn, Greater New Bedford, South Shore, Springfield, and Worcester. The CPSM addresses barriers to care to achieve optimal mental health outcomes for mothers and families through multi-sector collaboration in education, training, resource development, triage/referral protocols, screening, and policy.
As a result of implementation of the CPSM in these six communities, four perinatal mental health coalitions have been strengthened, two have been formed, over 250 providers have received specialized perinatal mental health training, and nine new MotherWoman Support Groups have been formed. Among the CPSM grantees is Baystate High Street Health Center, a local community organization. As a result, the Baystate Medical Center (BMC) PPD Coalition has shown great success as it works to break down the silos of care and ensure that all mothers receive necessary care and treatment. The BMC PPD Coalition is transforming the labor and delivery floor with plans to provide professional education and implement universal screening, and it has already implemented three perinatal mental health support groups in just one year.
About MotherWoman
MotherWoman's mission is to support and empower mothers to create positive personal and social change for themselves, their families, their communities and the world. MotherWoman also addresses the socio-economic issues facing American mothers by advocating for family-friendly policy. MotherWoman seeks to create a culture that understands and de-stigmatizes screening and treatment of perinatal emotional complications. MotherWoman promotes evidence-informed models in prevention, detection, and treatment of perinatal emotional complications by addressing barriers to care. MotherWoman has successfully trained many medical and mental health professionals, as well as Support Group facilitators, within various communities across the state to implement this vision.
For more information visit www.motherwoman.org
About MCPAP for Moms:
MCPAP for Moms is an exciting new statewide program designed to bridge the gap between mothers and their limited access to mental health resources and support needed to address perinatal depression. It is an expansion of the successful Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP), which has improved child mental health care in Massachusetts by offering pediatric primary care providers rapid access to child psychiatry consultation, education, and care coordination. MCPAP for Moms aims to promote maternal and child health by building the capacity of providers serving pregnant and postpartum women and their children up to one year after delivery to effectively prevent, identify, and manage depression.
For more information visit www.mcpapformoms.org