APA launches effort to address gaps in maternal mental health treatment

A new effort from the American Psychiatric Association plans to address mental health professionals’ experience with and attitudes toward treating pregnant women with mental and substance use disorders, and to identify gaps in training.

According to a release from the organization, Diana E. Clarke, PhD, the APA’s managing director of research and senior epidemiologist/research statistician, will spearhead the effort.

“This is an important initiative, and I am thrilled that representatives from many mental health professional organizations and diverse backgrounds are participating on the panel to ensure a robustly informed process,” Clarke said.

Known as the Mental Health Needs Assessment in the Management of Perinatal Psychiatric Disorders, the initiative is supported by a grant of more than $447,000 from the CDC Foundation.

For its part, the APA will perform a needs assessment via focus groups of women with mental and substance use disorders before, during, or up to 2 years post-pregnancy; and will survey and hold focus groups as well as a panel discussion with mental health professionals who treat pregnant women.

Additionally, the project seeks to update and expand existing recommendations for the mental health care of pregnant women; develop a viable toolkit for clinicians on perinatal psychiatric care; and to create educational and training recommendations for behavioral health clinicians to better serve this vulnerable population.

“Maternal health, and particularly maternal mental health, is an issue that has taken a back seat for far too long in the United States,” APA President Vivian Pender, MD, said. “This effort will help us better understand where our opportunities are to ensure pregnant mothers have access to the psychiatric care they need, which will lead to improved mental health outcomes for moms and their babies.”