Mothers, especially in underserved areas and maternal care deserts, face stigma, lack of resources and biases. We want to address those issues. That’s why we teamed up with March of Dimes to launch a three-part continuing education series focused on empowering clinicians with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver more compassionate, informed care to women before, during and after pregnancy:
Thrive Together: Enhancing maternal mental health care
Each of the three courses offers unique focuses and goals, designed to leave a lasting impact on the lives of patients and their families:
Course 1: Maternal mental health: It’s not just postpartum. It’s not just depression
What’s covered: Common maternal health disorders that arise during pregnancy and the first year of postpartum.
What you’ll learn: A deeper understanding of maternal mental health (MMH) conditions, strategies for screening and discussing conditions, empathetic care and tools to better support patients.
Why it matters: One in five mothers is affected by mental health conditions. MMH conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and birth, with 75% of individuals with MMH conditions remaining untreated. This increases the risk of long-term negative impacts on mothers, babies and families.
Course 2: Beyond labels: reducing stigma related to maternal mental health and substance use disorder
What’s covered: Knowledge and tools to effectively screen and educate women about mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) during pregnancy and postpartum.
What you’ll learn: Insights into the impact of stigma on women with MMH and SUD, strategies to mitigate those stigmas and resources to improve access to treatment and care.
Why it matters: Stigma around MMH and SUD often prevents women from seeking help during pregnancy and postpartum. Clinicians can help make a change.
Course 3: Awareness to action: dismantling bias in maternal and infant healthcare
What’s covered: Awareness on how to stimulate action and address bias within maternal and infant care settings
What you’ll learn: Important tools, insights and strategies for recognizing and addressing bias, leading to improved patient-provider communication, experiences and care.
Why it matters: Bias, conscious or unconscious, has a significant impact on patients’ quality of care, equity and overall wellbeing.
Why you should enroll:
- Elevate care in underserved communities and maternal deserts
- Gain a holistic toolkit for recognizing, responding to and reducing barriers in MMH across screening, stigma, bias and substance use
- Earn continuing education credits through live and virtual sessions
- Support lasting change for mothers and their babies
Ready to strengthen your knowledge while improving maternal care? Explore the series here.
