OUR WORK
We are Improving the Mental Health of our Nation’s Military Mothers
THE PROBLEM
Military Mothers are 2-3 times more likely to experience maternal mental health conditions compared to civilian mothers.
RACIAL DISPARITIES
Women of color in the military experience worse health outcomes compared to their White counterparts, with data showing higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality.
OUR WORK
MMHLA is leading programmatic and policy work to address this issue.
Explore our military work ↓
Advocating for Policies
We advocated for The Maintaining our Obligation to Moms who Serve Act (The MOMS Act), which was signed into law on December 23, 2024!
Raising Awareness
We are raising awareness about this issue as well as uplifting current efforts to address it.
Our work highlights the issue, shares progress updates on the bill, motivates action, and uplifts those with lived experience.
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Educating Members of Congress and their Staff
We organized a virtual Advocacy Day, helping over 120 advocates from across the country meet with 118 Congressional offices.
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Educating Health Care Professionals
We have produced two webinars and a fact sheet geared towards health care professionals.
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Educating the Public
We publish articles, newsletters, and social media content.
Convening Experts & Building Partnerships
We organize an annual, in-person roundtable with experts and stakeholders.
We convene the Roundtable on Military Mothers’ Mental Health to identify key opportunities to support the mental health and well-being of our nation’s military mothers with a focus on expanding access to care.
We are pursuing two goals:
Increase the number of mental health providers who have expertise in both maternal mental health and the unique needs of military mothers.
Share information about existing maternal mental health resources with military mothers.
Uplifting Lived Experience
We have incredible advocates with lived experience partnering with us on this work.
Patience Riley, LPC | Mother, Air Force Spouse, Therapist
"My most difficult years as a military spouse were 2019-2021. I moved three times in one and a half years with a new baby, solo parented, navigated the pandemic, and shortly after having my second son, my husband deployed again — leaving me with a 3-month-old and a toddler. My mental health took a direct hit. How could it not?”
Tiara Flynn | Mother, Air Force Veteran, and Full Spectrum Doula
“I am excited to see The MOMS Act officially introduced in the House and Senate. I had to make the difficult choice between my military career and motherhood, so I understand the silent struggles military moms face. There’s a delicate balance between the demands of a military uniform and the emotional weight of motherhood that is often overlooked and unsupported. I’m glad that we have a bill that could provide more support to military moms.”
Lakeatta Tonge, MSN, BSN, RNC-MNN | Mother, Air Force Veteran, Maternal-Newborn Nurse
“Every human being was born of a brave woman that sacrificed her life to give life. The least we can do is give these women an equal chance to live beyond childbirth.”
Learn More
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Learn More •
REPORTS
Learn More about Maternal Mental Health in the Military
Government Accountability Office: DOD Should Monitor Mental Health Screenings for Prenatal and Postpartum TRICARE Beneficiaries LINK
Government Accountability Office: Prevalence of and Efforts to Screen and Treat Mental Health Conditions in Prenatal and Postpartum TRICARE Beneficiaries LINK
HealthyWomen: Women’s Health is a Readiness Issue LINK
Mental Health and Security Clearances LINK
Military Family Advisory Network Survey Re: Mental Health Care and Telehealth LINK
2024 Military Family Building Survey Comprehensive Report LINK
Military, Veteran Women, and Maternal Mental Health Fact Sheet LINK
Normalizing Military Mental Health Care: Myth vs. Fact LINK
Pregnancy in the Military Context: Pregnancy and Postpartum Experiences among Service Women and Civilian Spouses of Service Members LINK
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