The Post-Postpartum Depression Blog

The month of May typically brings a variety of events tied to Mother’s Day. While most of these celebrations are commercial — designed to market meals, gifts, and greeting cards — one new initiative has caught my eye.

It was organized by The California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative (http://www.camaternalmentalhealth.org/), a non-profit which is committed to increasing and improving maternal mental health awareness, diagnosis, and treatment.

This essential national campaign is called “The 2020 Mom Project” (www.2020MomProject.com), with a goal to bring improved screening and treatment for maternal mental health disorders by the year 2020.

It’s a  national call to action that sets forth an aggressive path for solving what some have called one of the biggest public health concerns of our time: the silent maternal mental health crisis which impacts up to 20 percent of pregnant and new moms.

Because the project will focus on postpartum depression, which is in my field of specialty, I am especially pleased by this quote from  Judy Mikacich, M.D. and Co-Chair of the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative.

“Postpartum depression and anxiety are age-old problems that most obstetricians recognize, but very few know how to treat, especially in a timely fashion,” Dr. Mikacich said.

For my part, I’ve been grumbling about the same issue, which the organizers of the 2020 Mom Project admit: “OBGYNs and pediatricians declare they don’t have enough time and don’t know where to refer patients for help.”

To address this roadblock, the Project has identified several recommendations for insurers and hospitals, which you can find on the Project’s website (the link is highlighted above). As a sample, here’s one for hospitals that I particularly admire: “Provide writing information and verbal overview of maternal mental health disorders including symptoms, triggers and risk factors, the importance of good sleep practices and overview of sleep promotion techniques, and any available maternal mental health treatment programs in the local community.”

I’m very encouraged about the 2020 Mom Project, and will be monitoring its implementation in my own community to be certain the guidelines are being followed.

~ by ppdsus on May 23, 2013.

Posted in National women's initiatives, postpartum depression
Tags: depression and anxiety disorders, Inspirational stories & positive changes, National women's initiatives, new parents adjustment, perinatal disorders, postpartum depression, Spirituality, women's mental health