Raising Awareness
MMHLA is committed to raising awareness about maternal mental health (MMH) conditions to reduce stigma and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
The list at right is not meant to be all-inclusive but rather a starting place for finding efforts and materials aimed at raising awareness about MMH conditions.
The Blue Dot is the national symbol for maternal mental health. The Blue Dot Project leads a social media campaign each May to raise awareness and reduce stigma about maternal mental health issues; features stories about survivor-ship, support, and solidarity; and provides infographics, clothing, and accessories featuring the iconic Blue Dot.
Scores of books about maternal mental health issues are available; most have been written since 2000.
- Postpartum Support International Book List
- Amazon.com
- Books by Karen Kleiman, MSW, of the Postpartum Stress Center
DOCUMENTARY MOVIES
PODCASTS
TED TALKS
- Have You Seen That Girl?
- Let’s Talk About Postpartum Depression
- Maternal Mental Health
- A New Way to Think About the Transition to Motherhood
- Parenting Through Postpartum Depression
- Postpartum Anxiety: The Little Cousin of Postpartum Depression
- Understanding Postpartum Psychosis
- What is Postpartum Psychosis?
- Why Maternal Mental Health Matters
- Why We All Need to Talk About Postpartum Depression
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Below is a sample of campaigns aimed at raising awareness about maternal mental health challenges.
- Colorado: Know A Mom Who’s Feeling Down?
- New Jersey: Speak Up When You Are Down
- SAGE Therapeutics: Silence Sucks
- The Blue Dot Project: 2019 MMH Week Awareness Campaign
- American Academy of Family Physicians, Postpartum Depression Toolkit
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Patient Safety Bundle
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Postpartum Depression Toolkit
- MCPAP for Moms, Toolkit for Providers
- Minnesota Department of Health, Perinatal Mental Health, Information for Health Professionals
- SAMSHA’s Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Perinatal Provider Tookit
NATIONAL
STATES
- California Jenny’s Light
- Connecticut Light for Kara 5K
- Kentucky Healthy Mommy 5K
- Minnesota Daisy Dash 5K
- New York Sounds of Silence 5K
- Pennsylvania Run for Joy 5K
- Virginia Shelane’s Run 5K
Please provide updates and additional information to info@mmhla.org.
Building Consensus
MMHLA convenes and works with national-level stakeholders to align priorities and address maternal mental health (MMH) issues with a coordinated, comprehensive approach.
In May 2109, MMHLA hosted a Roundtable Discussion for national stakeholders in maternal mental health to discuss current efforts to address these illnesses, identify commonalities and overlaps, and create a roadmap for addressing these illnesses with a coordinated, comprehensive approach. Stakeholders participating in the Roundtable Discussion include maternal-child healthcare providers, mental health providers, and birth and postpartum professionals from the government, nonprofit, and private sectors.
In May 2020, MMHLA hosted a Virtual Congressional Briefing on Maternal Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The briefing — held in partnership with the March of Dimes — was attended by over 400 individuals working in practice and policy. MMHLA laid out specific policy proposals including advocating for additional federal funding for state programs address maternal mental health and including women who are pregnant or breastfeeding in COVID-19 research and testing.
Sharing Best Practices
MMHLA is committed to identifying and sharing information about successful programs and policies that help women recover from maternal mental health (MMH) conditions.
The list at right is not meant to be all-inclusive but rather a starting place for finding individuals and programs setting the standard for addressing MMH conditions.
- Colorado: Children’s Hospital of Colorado
- Florida: Better Beginnings
- Massachusetts: MCPAP for Moms
- New Jersey: Postpartum Stress Center
- New York: Motherhood Center of New York
- New York: Seleni Institute
- Pennsylvania: Alexis Joy D’Achille Center for Perinatal Mental Health
- Additional resources HERE
Get the facts about maternal mental health (MMH) conditions, including signs and symptoms, risk factors, and interventions for recovery.
MMHLA creates collaboration and connections to address maternal mental health (MMH) issues with a coordinated and comprehensive approach.
