2020 Mom

TO CLOSE GAPS IN MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY & ADVOCACY - OUR SHORT-TERM GOAL WITH REGARD TO FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY IS TO ESTABLISH FURTHER A FOUNDATION OF UNDERSTANDING THE RANGE AND ONSET OF DISORDERS, THE BARRIERS TO EVIDENCE-BASED/PROMISING TREATMENTS AND SUPPORTS, AND TO UNDERSTAND INCREASED RISK AND SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FACING MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS - AND TO DEVELOP A RELATED FEDERAL STRATEGIC PLAN WITH A COORDINATED INTERAGENCY/DEPARTMENT RESPONSE. OUR LONG-TERM (15-25 YEAR) GOAL IS TO SEE BOTH A REDUCTION IN NEW CASES AND A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT SYSTEMATICALLY DETECTS THOSE WHO ARE ARE RISK AND ARE SUFFERING AND CONSISTENTLY PROVIDES EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS. WE WISH TO SEE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE WELL EDUCATED AND EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO CHANGING NEEDS WITHIN THE FIELD. THIS YEAR, 2020 MOM MADE NUMEROUS POLICY AND ADVOCACY ADVANCES, INCLUDING INTRODUCING THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION, THE TASKFORCE RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS FOR UNADDRESSED MENTAL PERINATAL AND POSTPARTUM HEALTH (TRIUMPH) FOR NEW MOTHERS ACT, AND DEEPLY SUPPORTING EFFORTS OF A BLACK-LED SISTER NON-PROFIT IN ADVOCACY RELATED TO THE MOMS MATTER ACT, AIMED AT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF BLACK/BROWN MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS AND PROVIDING FUNDING TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. OUR ADVOCACY WORK INCLUDED DRAFTING AND CIRCULATING 4 LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THESE CRITICAL BILLS AND OBTAINING 172 ORGANIZATIONAL SIGN-ONS, AND CREATING ACTION ALERTS URGING INDIVIDUALS TO CONTACT THEIR LAWMAKERS, LEADING TO 799 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR NETWORK TAKING ACTION ON THESE POLICIES. IN ADDITION TO THE WORK ON THESE TWO KEY PIECES OF LEGISLATION, 2020 MOM SUBMITTED 15 COMMENT LETTERS TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS. THESE LETTERS INCLUDED ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND THE PATHWAYS FORWARD, AS WELL AS ADDRESSING GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE IN A LETTER TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND PROVIDING A MINIMUM OF 4 WEEKS PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AFTER THE BIRTH OF A CHILD, IN A LETTER TO SENATOR MANCHIN, A KEY DECISION-MAKER WITH THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT. FURTHER, WE SIGNED ONTO 52 LETTERS OF SUPPORT DIRECTED TO LAWMAKERS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES WHICH WERE DRAFTED BY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.IN 2021 WE ALSO ESTABLISHED NEW KEY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY AND CONTINUED TO MEET WITH OTHER KEY AGENCIES FOR WHICH WE ALREADY HAD ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS, INCLUDING THE CDC, HRSA AND SAMHSA. STATE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 2020 MOM SERVED AS THE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION ADVANCING MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH POLICY IN THE STATE OF CALFORNIA, INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE POLICY AND AGENCY INTERACTION. AS A RESULT, CALIFORNIA CREATED THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE STATE ACTION PLAN, AND HAS PASSED THE MOST SWEEPING MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATION IN THE COUNTRY. AS REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT CAME IN FROM THOSE LOOKING TO TAKE SIMILAR ACTION IN THEIR STATES, 2020 MOM LAUNCHED A FELLOWS PROGRAM TO SHARE OUR STRATEGIES AND ROADMAPS AND ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN AND SHARE WITH EACH OTHER. OUR SHORT TERM GOALS WITH THE FELLOWS PROGRAMS ARE TO SUPPORT STATES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTION PLANS, OUR LONG TERM GOALS ARE TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1-2 SUBSTANTIVE PROGRAMS AT THE AGENCY LEVEL, AND TO SEE EACH STATE DEVELOP A STATE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVE 1-2 KEY PIECES OF LEGISLATION BE INTRODUCED TO CLOSE GAPS, AS A RESULT. IN JUNE OF 2021, WE LAUNCHED A SECOND COHORT OF OUR NON PROFIT STATE POLICY FELLOWS PROGRAM FOR NON-PROFITS WELL POSITIONED TO SERVE AS BACKBONE POLICY AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS LEADING STATE LEGISLATIVE POLICY CHANGE. WE ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH FELLOWS PROGRAM PROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE 12 MONTHS OF TRAINING IN LEARNING COMMUNITY SETTINGS, COVERING A CORE SET OF TOPICS, WITH PRESENTATIONS AND AMPLE TIME FOR ROBUST DISCUSSIONS AND ACTION PLANNING. FEEDBACK FROM A RECENT FELLOW: "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS HELPED TO ADVANCE OUR ORGANIZATION IN WAYS WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE, AS WELL AS AFFIRM THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE. HAVING THE DEDICATED TIME TO THINK ABOUT POLICY AND ADVOCACY HELPED US TO REALIZE WE CAN EXPAND POLICY IN OUR CURRENT WORK PLANS AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF POSSIBILITY."

STATE CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST RESEARCH, PILOT 2 - 2020 MOM IS WORKING TO PROPEL THE USE OF STATE CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (CPSSS) TO AUGMENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGES, TO PROVIDE THOSE IN NEED WITH TRUSTED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE SUPPORT, TO PROVIDE THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE MEANINGFUL AND NEEDED PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES, TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OBSTETRIC PROVIDERS IN ADDRESSING MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS USING PEER SUPPORT WITH SUSTAINABLE INCOME STREAMS. OUR SHORT-TERM GOAL IS TO EDUCATE THE FIELD ABOUT THIS VERY PROMISING SOLUTION. OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO SEE CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN EVERY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION SERVING MOTHERS AND IN OBSTETRIC SETTINGS, INCLUDING OB/MIDWIFE PRACTICES AND HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY AND NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE SETTINGS FOR EXAMPLE. THIS YEAR, 2020 MOM RELEASED AN ISSUE BRIEF ON PEER SUPPORT IN MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND LED NEW RESEARCH ON THE USE OF STATE-CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PEER SPECIALISTS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THIS RESEARCH TESTED THE USE OF TRAINING ADAPTED FROM OUR EARLIER PILOT STUDY FOR USE IN BLACK MOTHERS (INCLUDING THOSE WITH A BIRTH LOSS) AND DOULAS, SUPPORTING THE BLACK PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM POPULATION. THE PILOT WILL CONCLUDE IN EARLY 2022.

ANNUAL CROSS-SECTOR MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH FORUM - 2020 MOM HELD THE 11TH ANNUAL EMERGING CONSIDERATIONS IN MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH FORUM VIRTUALLY (FOR THE FIRST TIME) ON MARCH 24-26, 2021, WITH OVER 900 MULTI-SECTOR CHANGE AGENTS IN ATTENDANCE. OUR SHORT-TERM GOALS ARE TO CONVENE CROSS-SECTOR CHANGE AGENTS, SUPPORT THEM IN TAKING IN CUTTING-EDGE AND CRITICAL CONTENT, AND SUPPORT COLLABORATION. OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO SEE DECISION-MAKERS ATTENDEES, LEAD PROGRAM AND POLICY CHANGE. 100% OF POST-FORUM EVALUATIONS REPORTED THAT ATTENDEES WERE SATISFIED WITH THE FORUM CONTENT PROVIDING INSIGHT ON SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONS TO CLOSE GAPS IN MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH, AND 90% REPORTED LEAVING THE FORUM WITH 1-3 ACTIONS THEY PLANNED TO TAKE IN 2021 TO ADDRESS MMH.

ALL OTHER RELATED PROGRAMS INCLUDE EDUCATION, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AMBASSADORS, BLUE DOT, TRAINING/CONFERENCES, SUPPORT GROUP TRAINING, STORYTELLING, PERIGEE GRANT, SAGE GRANT 2021, AND CIGNA PEER SUPPORT GRANT.