Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD): Addressing Stigma and Increasing Support

Please join us in a discussion on how to improve mental health and substance use disorder issues for perinatal people in the US. We want to know your dreams, practical solutions, and past solutions that never made it. We want to know your thoughts, concerns, and how you believe mental health and substance use care can be revolutionized to reduce the pain and suffering women and their families go through due to the current stigma and lack of resources around mental health and substance use disorder in the US.

1. Why is maternal mental health and SUD often overlooked and how can we work to reduce the stigma surrounding it?

• What is prenatal mental health support like for patients with a history of mental illness?
• What does stigma look like in your personal experience? How can we put safeguards up?
• What has your experience been with online therapy with patients? Is insurance/payment an issue? 
• Are mental health providers well-versed in the specifics of postpartum depression/anxiety struggles? How about SUDs?

2. What are some evidence-based strategies for supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy and postpartum?

• What community support do you hear people are lacking? 
• How are your patients coping with sleep deprivation? 
• How are people working or not working during the first 12 weeks postpartum?
• What support do people want and need?

3. How can technology be leveraged to improve screening and treatment for maternal mental health?

• What is coverage like for telehealth for mental health? Does Medicaid cover telehealth for mental health? 
• What would both adequate and ideal follow up look like?
• What format would solve access and engagement needs (text-based, app-based, paper and pen survey, phone calls, etc.)