Archive for the ‘Stigma’ Category

New York State Releases Landmark Maternal Mental Health Policy Roadmap

In a major step forward for maternal mental health policy, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has released a comprehensive 128-page report detailing actionable recommendations, systemic challenges, and aspirational goals to improve mental health outcomes for birthing persons across...

Roundtable 2 of 2: Maternal Mental Health Support Programs and Solutions to Overcome Stigma

  • October 31st, 2025
  • 322    0

The 2025 Maternal Mental Health and Stigma Reduction Roundtable Discussion Series •  Roundtable 1: Understanding Maternal Mental Health and Stigma •  Roundtable 2: Maternal Mental Health Support Programs and Solutions to Overcome Stigma Roundtable 2...

Roundtable 1 of 2: Understanding Maternal Mental Health and Stigma

  • October 31st, 2025
  • 307    0

The 2025 Maternal Mental Health and Stigma Reduction Roundtable Discussion Series •  Roundtable 1: Understanding Maternal Mental Health and Stigma •  Roundtable 2: Maternal Mental Health Support Programs and Solutions to Overcome Stigma Roundtable 1...

The Silent Barrier: How Fear of Judgment from Healthcare Providers Keeps People from Seeking Help

What if the person meant to help you was the one you feared most? Imagine sitting in an exam room, fidgeting with your cell phone, scrolling through apps, and trying to distract yourself from the anxiety building inside. You are aware of the antiseptic smell lingering in the air, but it’s drowned...

Collaborating for Change: Building a Stronger System of Maternal Mental Health Support in New York

Effectively addressing maternal mental health requires a comprehensive public health solution that targets risk and protective factors. These include social determinants of health, clinical care, community support, culturally responsive interventions, and policy changes. This is why the New York...

Voices of Hope and Healing: Parental Mental Health Peer Support Program for New York Families

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression (PMADs), are the most frequent complication related to childbearing and a leading cause of maternal mortality in New York State.1 PMADs affect up to 20% of birthing persons and new mothers. Also, up to 13% of fathers may...

The Silent Struggles of Fertility: Understanding the Emotional Toll

When a woman embarks on the journey of fertility care, she enters a world filled with hope, uncertainty, and an emotional burden not always perceptible to others. The medical procedures and clinical visits are only part of the experience—behind closed doors, many face silent struggles that take a...

Supporting Maternal Mental Health and Reducing Stigma: A Clinical Perspective

Becoming a mother is a beautiful and rewarding experience, but it comes with a set of challenges that often go unrecognized. Maternal mental health is a critical dimension of perinatal care that is often overlooked amid the focus on the physical aspect of pregnancy.  During the perinatal period,...

Addressing the Stigma of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

When I had my son in 2024, I had more than a few medical professionals warn me that due to my anxiety pre-pregnancy, I was at greater risk for developing a perinatal mood disorder (PMD), specifically postpartum anxiety (PPA) and/or postpartum depression (PPD). I was warned to contact someone if I...

Addressing America’s Silent Crisis: Maternal Mental Health

Maternal mental health in the U.S. is in crisis. Despite advancements in medicine and growing awareness around mental health, the emotional well-being of mothers has quietly deteriorated. This is particularly true during pregnancy and after childbirth. A recent study published in JAMA...