This course is complementary to the standard peer support training. Much of the content is similar to the education maternal mental health clinicians receive but has been adapted to meet the needs of people delivering peer support in the perinatal time period. Perinatal mental health complications in pregnancy and postpartum look different than at any other time in a person’s life. While clinicians receive this training to diagnose and potentially treat or refer people in pregnancy and postpartum, peers need a full understanding of perinatal mental health conditions to provide support, address myths and stigma, and connect people to appropriate treatment services.
The course includes:
- Inclusive Care and Language
- Understanding the Spectrum of Maternal Mental Health Complications
- Barriers to Care
- Screening and Referral
- Components of Care and Recovery
Why do we need specialized perinatal mental health peer supporters (PMH peers) as part of the continuum of care? Decisions that profoundly affect mothers* lives shouldn’t be made without mothers at the decision-making table. Moms and birthing persons with perinatal mental health conditions benefit from the kind of support that accounts for their individual needs and fits within the framework of their life experience. A specialized PMH peer should strive to develop an ongoing perspective on their own personal experiences and qualities in order to determine in what ways those factors help them to serve as an effective and balanced supporter. One of the aims of quality support is to encourage moms and birthing persons to pursue treatment/care options and make decisions that make sense for them rather than shaping which choices are appropriate.
*Mothering is a gender-neutral term that describes a certain type of care. Any person can provide the care of a mother, regardless of gender identity.
Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms (POEM) at Mental Health America of Ohio bridges mental health gaps by acting as a touchpoint, advocate, and resource for mothers and birthing persons. Through care navigation layered with certified peer support, POEM works to provide mental and emotional support through the perinatal period.
