For many mothers / birthing people,* becoming a parent can be one of life’s most significant events. But it is not without its challenges — depression and anxiety are the number one complication of pregnancy and the postpartum period. 

Los Angeles County, where one in four California births occurs each year, has a great opportunity to support the mental health of Californian mothers / birthing people. Recognizing this, various advocates and stakeholders have been working to improve the system of care in LA County so that all birthing people struggling with perinatal mental health challenges receive timely, informed, and culturally appropriate care. As part of these efforts, Maternal Mental Health NOW, which has expertise in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, sought to provide more comprehensive online trainings to all of LA County’s safety-net providers. 

With support from the California Health Care Foundation, Maternal Mental Health NOW partnered with the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence to develop two sequential, self-paced, online training curricula on perinatal mental health issues for health care clinicians, mental health providers, and social service providers who serve families with low incomes. These free trainings are also relevant for midwives and doulas, community health workers and promotores, medical receptionists — essentially anyone who works with or otherwise interacts with a pregnant or postpartum person. 

Perinatal Mental Health 101: What to Know is publicly available at no cost and provides an overview of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It offers six continuing education units for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, LEPs, and psychologists, as well as six continuing medical education units for MDs, NPs, RNs, PAs, and DOs. 

Perinatal Mental Health 201: How to Help builds on the lessons of the 101 training with clinical case examples, psychosocial assessments, best practices, and a thorough review of clinical interventions. It is also publicly available at no cost and offers three hours of continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, LEPs, and psychologists, as well as three continuing medical education units for MDs, RNPs, RNs, PAs, and DOs.  

Learn more about CHCF’s investments in maternal mental health. 

* CHCF uses the term “birthing people” to recognize that not all people who become pregnant and give birth identify as women or mothers.