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Resources for Providers


Screening Tools

Find screening tools to assist with diagnosing Maternal Mental Health disorders.


Resources for Providers


American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Maternal Mental Health Tool Kit


Resources For Providers


What Every Provider Type Should Know and Do for MMH


Resources For Providers


MMH Core Competencies for
Health Care Providers


Resources For Providers


A Menu of Prevention and Treatment Options


Resources For Providers


Continuum of Care


Resources For Providers


Guide to Brief CBT


Resources For Providers


Implementing MH Collaborative Care in Private Practices and Beyond


Resources For Providers


Complimentary Collaborative Care Training for Psychiatrists through the APA


Resources For Providers


Association Between Severe Maternal Morbidity and Psychiatric Illness Within 1 Year of Hospital Discharge After Delivery


Resources For Providers


Setting the Standard for
Holistic Care of and for
Black Women


Resources For Providers


Maternal Mental Health – Lay Professionals


Billing Resources


Maternal Mental Health Care – Obstetric Provider Services Billing and Reimbursement Guide

The following guidance was developed for reference by payors and obstetric providers (midwives, Ob/Gyns and family practice providers who provide maternity care), culling together the latest behavioral health integration protocol, resources from clinical bodies and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures for perinatal depression.


Billing Resources


Billing & Coding Guide for Women’s Preventive Services

The U.S. Women’s Preventive Services Initiative’s 2023–24 obstetric provider coding guide was recently updated to include the Initiative’s latest recommendations, including screening for maternal mental health disorders.

This guide acts as a tool to assist practices with coding and billing preventive services for women and was developed in consultation with leaders at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology. The guide provides all the information clinicians need to properly code for WPSI recommendations, including ICD-10 codes and coding scenarios.


Billing Resources


Coding for Perinatal Depression


Billing Resources


Care Coordination Billing Coding


Billing Resources


Share Your Maternal Mental Health Care/Claim/Payment Denial Story

Though many women have health insurance at the time of their maternal mental health challenges, insurance can still be a significant barrier to care.

If you’ve experienced trouble providing care due to insurance company policies, please take 2 minutes to share those experiences here. Your stories will help us drive change.


Resources for Hospitals


The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health Whole Mom™ Hospital Best Practice Standards

Take a look at the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health’s Whole Mom Standards / Hospital Best Practices to learn how to start addressing maternal mental health.

Revised 3/2023 view updates.


Resources for Hospitals


Hospital Resources and Overview of Applicable CA Law

California Hospital Maternal Mental Health Legislation Resources


Resources for Hospitals


Training Staff

Hospitals that wish to train staff may wish to explore in person training options or on line options.

2020 Mom and PSI offer both a 2-hour complimentary Maternal Mental Health 101 training open to the public, and an 8 class certificate-based training course for clinicians.


Resources for Hospitals


Case Study: The Role of Community Health Workers in addressing inequities

This white paper outlines best practices and solutions for health departments and health systems to engage community health workers to address equity gaps.


Resources for Hospitals


UK Resource: Perinatal Mental Health Workforce Competency Framework

This framework identifies the skills required and helps care teams to assess their training needs.

The tool allows professionals to access the competencies in the framework relevant to their role and inform them of which competencies they require in order to fulfill the responsibilities of their role.


Childbirth Education

Following are childbirth class resources which address maternal mental health for childbirth. 

Transition to Parenthood Curriculum
A training manual for clinicians and childbirth educators, with class outlines exploring the psychological and emotional journey of pregnancy and the postpartum period.
http://www.postpartumhealth.com/books.php


Support Groups

A Mother-Infant Therapy Group Model for Postpartum Depression – By Roseanne Clark – Infant Mental Health Journal, 2008

Support Group Guide
From Australia’s non-profit specializing in maternal mental health.
https://www.panda.org.au/awareness/support-group-guide


Protecting and Promoting Sleep

There are many things hospitals can do to help promote undisturbed or “protected” sleep, including physical changes to rooms and changing equipment settings to reduce noise, updating policies to reduce night/early morning wakings by staff, implementation of protected sleep time during the day, use of sound machines, providing ear plus and eye masks and more.

 The following are resources which provide more information about such changes:

Huffington Post Article, Hospital Sounds Disturb Patient’s Sleep
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/hospital-sounds-sleep-patients-disturb_n_1589834.html

Paper: In-patient sleep disturbance: the views of staff and patients. 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7567514

Paper: The nurse’s role in promoting a good night’s sleep for patients. 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7665774

Hospitals may also want to consider (though not a specific recommendation of the 2020 Mom Project), training staff to train new families how to soothe their babies to promote more sleep in both baby and mom during those critical early nights and beyond. 

The Happiest Baby Sleep Promotion Staff Training Program
https://thehappiestbaby.org/program-overview/


Resources for Hospitals


Information at Discharge

Hospitals may want to consider providing information to moms and families about maternal mental health disorders at discharge, such as a flyer or palm card. Hospitals may also want to encourage nursing staff to review the material by adding to a checklist for example.
Hospitals may wish to create their own materials or provide a copy of the following palm card which the hospital logo can be added below. See more at Awareness Materials


General Information

Tool Kit Developed by the Pennsylvania Perinatal Partnership
Funded in part by the US Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.pennsylvaniaperinatal.org/app/webroot/files/PPP_ToolKit_31-32_ImplementAlgorithm(4).pdf

A New Beginning (Printed Book-English or Spanish) Your Personal Guide to Postpartum Care
New mothers will appreciate this personal guide to postpartum care. Ideal for discharge teaching, this guide to self care and baby care is an excellent resource for issues that commonly arise during this exciting, but often anxious, time. Filled with information about resuming everyday life, post-pregnancy body changes and healthy nutrition, new mothers will gain a better understanding of how to care for themselves. 
https://www.customizedinc.com/products/a-new-beginning


Videos for Patient Viewing 

Healthy Mom Happy Family DVD
Don’t have time to discuss maternal mental health with patients? Show Postpartum Support International’s 13 minute video over your broadcast system.

Optional:
Becoming a Father DVD
We urge you to consider showing this video (50 mins), “Becoming a Father.”


NICU Support


Resources for Hospitals


Creating a Postpartum Plan

The “Check on Mom” resource helps expecting mothers plan for their postpartum, including putting supports in place and taking steps to protect and support their mental health.


Recommended Reading for Suffering and High-risk Families and Clinicians:

Looking After your Mental Health – Things you can do to Support your Mental Wellbeing
Ireland’s Health Service Executive’s website provides information on Depression, Lifestyle, Sleep, Stress and Support.

Beyond the Blues: A Guide to Understanding And Treating Prenatal And Postpartum Depression
By: Pec Indman & Shoshanna Bennett

The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for Living with Postpartum Depression
By: Karen Kleiman

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions, and Compulsions
By: Pamela Wiegartz, PH.D, Kevin Gyoerkoe, PSY.D.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia During Pregnancy
By: MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health
Sleep problems are common during pregnancy, and for some pregnant people, non-pharmacologic options can be effective. CBT specific for insomnia (CBT-I) involves 6-8 sessions dedicated to this issue and has also been delivered through mobile or web-app-based platforms. The principles of CBT-I include cognitive restructuring, improving sleep hygiene and sleep environment, stimulus control therapy, relaxation training, and potentially sleep restriction during treatment. Increasing the tools for rejuvenating sleep can be helpful with mood disorders during pregnancy.


Recommended Reading for OBGYNs, Psychiatrists and More:

Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Review of Psychiatry
By: Lee S. Cohen


Resources For Providers


Perinatal Mental Health 101 Webinar

Learn about the various Maternal Mental Health Disorders, the differences between them, risk factors and treatment options. The course is designed for providers, administrators and public health employees, though all are welcome. Listen to a previously recorded webinar here. For a list of the resources shared during the training click here. Upcoming live webinars are listed here.


Resources For Providers


National Curriculum in Reproductive Psychiatry (NCRP) Trainee Fellowship

Applications are being accepted for a free comprehensive online, interactive curriculum designed to teach reproductive psychiatry to mental health professionals – either within an educational program or self-guided. Learn more here.


Resources For Providers


Free E-Learning Program on Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals

The U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) program, available via OMH’s Think Cultural Health website, is designed to develop behavioral health providers’ knowledge and skills related to culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS). OMH encourages all certified counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers to take this program and earn up to five continuing education credits at no cost.

The program’s 4 courses cover:

  • Connections between culture and behavioral health
  • The impact of cultural identity on interactions with clients
  • Ways to engage, assess and treat clients from diverse backgrounds

Learn more about the program | Spread the word – access the toolkit

Are you looking for other free e-learning programs on cultural competency? Check out the suite of Think Cultural Health e-learning programs at thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/education


Resources For Providers


The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Offers Resources for Ob-GYNs and Women’s Health Care Providers

Webinar addressing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders – Strategies for Women’s Health Care Providers.

Visit the Women’s Health Care Physicians page for more resources like:

  • Committee Opinion: Screening for Perinatal Depression
  • Practice Bulletin: Use of Psychiatric Medications During Pregnancy and Lactation (members only)


Resources For Providers


Developing a Treatment Plan and More


Resources For Providers


Early Episode Psychosis Topic Library

Early-episode psychosis is a prime time for medical intervention, which may include multimodal therapies, case management, and a focus on self-determination. Treatment focuses on enabling individuals to move on from the acute impact of a psychotic episode and chart the course of their own recovery.

In the Early Episode Psychosis Topic Library on PsychU, you will find resources about treatment interventions and other information.


Resources For Providers


Suicide Prevention Resources


Resources For Providers


Case Study: The Role of Community Health Workers in Addressing Inequities

This white paper outlines best practices and solutions for health departments and health systems to engage community health workers to address equity gaps.


Resources For Providers


UK Resource: PerinatalWorkforce Competency Framework

This framework identifies the skills required and helps care teams to assess their training needs.

The tool allows professionals to access the competencies in the framework relevant to their role and inform them of which competencies they require in order to fulfill the responsibilities of their role.


Domestic Violence Prevention

Domestic/intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive problem in virtually all countries, cultures, classes and income groups. According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, women who have experienced IPV are twice as likely to experience depression, almost twice as likely to abuse alcohol, and 16 percent more likely to have a low-birthweight baby.


Prevention: “Mothers and Babies” Online Program

This intervention is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for mother’s who are at risk for maternal depression.

This online program teaches skills to manage changes in how patients you feel. The course is designed for pregnant women, new mothers, and those who want to learn how to support them.

The program is also available in Spanish.


Resources For Providers


Creating a Postpartum Plan

The “Check on Mom” resource helps expecting mothers plan for their postpartum, including putting supports in place and taking steps to protect and support their mental health.


Resources For Providers


AWHONN Clinical Practice: Respectful Maternity Care for Individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) SBAR

SBAR is a technique that is typically used to frame conversations between health care providers regarding a patient’s condition and clinical status. SBAR in this circumstance is adapted to promote respectful and inclusive patient communication and care.


Resources For Providers


MotherToBaby: A One-Stop Interactive Resource on Medications in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

MotherToBaby, a service of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), specializes in answering questions about the safety/risk of exposures, such as medications, vaccines, chemicals, herbal products, substances of abuse, maternal health conditions, and much more, during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The no-cost information service is available to people who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, their family members, health professionals, and the general public via chat, text, phone (toll-free 866.626.6847), and email in both English and Spanish. MotherToBaby also has more than 300 up-to-date evidence-based fact sheets about a variety of exposures. The latest fact sheets added include topics on monkeypox, COVID-19 vaccines, and Plan B One-Step®.


Resources For Providers


Community Perspectives: The State of Black Maternal Mental Health

This report from the Shades of Blue Project, an organization dedicated to breaking cultural barriers in maternal mental health by raising awareness and providing support before, during, and after childbirth, provides insight from the community perspective about what can be done to change birth and maternal mental health outcomes for the better.


Resources For Providers


The 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit

Mental Health America’s 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit provides free, practical resources, including information about how an individual’s culture and community impact their mental health, tips for community advocacy, and ways to build connections with others. In this toolkit, you can find factsheets, worksheets, resources, sample messages, sample images, posters, and more.