Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs

The United States does not have enough mental health providers to address the demand. Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs are national and state-based programs that build capacity among providers to address this gap in maternal mental health care.

What These Programs Do

  • Provide psychiatric consultation to front-line providers, such as obstetricians and family physicians, to help them treat women experiencing maternal mental health disorders.

  • Provide technical assistance to practices to implement maternal mental health screening and treatment. 

  • Connect affected women with additional resources for recovery, including therapists and support groups.

  • Offer one-on-one psychiatric consultation to women with complex maternal mental health issue.

Who Coordinates These Programs

Lifeline for Moms provides coordination and programmatic guidance among the organizations implementing perinatal psychiatric access lines, including:

  • Program development and implementation assistance.

  • Training and workforce development.

  • Consultation, evaluation and opportunities for collaborations with other healthcare organizations and states working to integrate perinatal mental health efforts in perinatal care.

These programs are made possible by federal grants, which were won through our policy advocacy.

Seven states received federal grants for 2018-2022

  1. Florida

  2. Kansas

  3. Louisiana

  4. Montana

  5. North Carolina

  6. Rhode Island

  7. Vermont

Twelve states were awarded federal grants in 2023

  1. California

  2. Colorado

  3. Kansas

  4. Kentucky

  5. Louisiana

  6. Missouri

  7. Mississippi

  8. Montana

  9. North Carolina

  10. Tennessee

  11. Texas

  12. West Virginia

Learn More with the Resources Below

  • MMHLA Perinatal Psychiatry Access Program Fact Sheet

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  • Promoting The Health of Parents & Children

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