|
|
|
January 2017
What's New at PS-WA
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to our families, providers, and supporters! As we write this, the national and local Women's Marches have just happened, and they provided a powerful insight into what amazing things can happen when women and the people who love them unite to insist that their voices be heard and their rights protected. We at Perinatal Support Washington stand behind the marchers and their important messages of inclusion, visibility, and voice. We are listening and taking concrete steps to ensure our services meet the needs of all families.
The new year brings lots of new happenings at Perinatal Support Washington. We thought it would be a good idea this month to highlight all the growth and change at Perinatal Support Washington. We are excited about these changes and how they will enable us to serve more families and providers. We are committed to collaboration and partnership--join us!
As always, we welcome your feedback about our newsletters.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's New at Perinatal Support Washington
New (and expanded) partnerships to support families of color.
In 2017 we are excited to bring more support to families of color throughout the Puget Sound region. We are pleased to tell you about our partnership with two local organizations.
- Since 2015 we have partnered with the Lakewood Franciscan WIC clinic to serve mothers of color and provide a much needed space for women of color to share their own stories and experiences. The group is led by Linda White, a WIC employee who is a long-time advocate and trusted provider in her community. The group has served over 200 mothers of color and over 300 children. Preliminary outcomes from the group show improved maternal mental health, which improved parental satisfaction and confidence. The group has been so successful that a second group was needed. In November 2016 we partnered again to train a new facilitator to start a new group at the Parkland WIC clinic in 2017.
- We are also very excited to be partnering with the Seattle Indian Health Board to bring a new parent support group to their South Seattle site specifically designed for native mothers. In November we partnered with SIHB to train the group's facilitator and in 2017 we will be working to adapt the model to meet the needs of native mothers. We hope to launch the group in Winter 2017.
New PS-WA board members: We are pleased to welcome two new members to our board: Cynthia Salzman, secretary, and Courtney Yorks, board member at-large. You can read all of our board bios here. Thank you, Cynthia and Courtney, for your commitment to Perinatal Support Washington!
Dads can now talk with another dad on the Warm Line. In our mission to serve more communities, we now offer services specifically for dads. You can call our Warm Line and ask to talk with a dad. This is a place where dads can talk to another dad about their own mental health needs during this period as well as gather information about supporting a partner who might be experiencing their own mood or anxiety disorder.
Updated Facebook group for professionals
--Washington Perinatal Mental Health Professionals.
We recently opened our professional Facebook group to all perinatal mental health professionals in Washington, not just PS-WA members. We think this will make the group more useful for information and referrals, and as a result more helpful to the families you are working with.
Feel free to invite colleagues of all professions interested in perinatal mental health. This will still be a closed group, and anyone who wants to join will need to ask and be approved by PS-WA staff. Please join and spread the word!
Snohomish County New Parent Group
. There are very few perinatal mental health resources in Snohomish County and we hear from families who need support there. In 2017 we hope to have a new parent support group to help meet this need.
|
|
Events
Birth Professionals Networking Event. Thursday, 2/16, 1-3pm, Northgate Library. Ever wonder what happens on a Warm Line call? Wondering if our support groups are right for your clients? Not sure how to where to find a referral for a mental health professional if a client needs one? Please join us for an informal networking event and learn about Perinatal Support Washington's programs and services and to best serve your clients experiencing unexpected emotional challenges. You will have the opportunity to meet the parents who answer the Warm Line calls and the professionals who facilitate our support groups. Additionally you can tell us about your practice and how you are supporting new families. Please indicate on the Facebook Event if you can join us.
Understanding Infant Sleep for Professionals, Monday, 2/27, 5:30 - 8pm. Join Macall Gordon, certified gentle sleep coach, for a presentation on infant sleep--what's normal and what might need intervention. This event is geared toward those who work with new parents--therapists, midwives, OBs, pediatricians, doulas, lactation consultants, home visitors, and case managers. For more information and to register, click here.
|
|
Get Involved
Join Our Board!
Perinatal Support Washington is seeking a Treasurer to join our board. The treasurer position in our organization is an important role that requires a commitment of at least two years, and attendance at monthly board meetings and at a yearly board retreat. This position has responsibility for all accounting needs for our organization. We encourage those who are passionate about supporting new families and have experience in big-picture financial strategic planning applicable for a small nonprofit to apply. Work is in collaboration with the Program Director and program staff throughout the month. More information can be found
here
.
Become a professional member of Perinatal Support Washington. We welcome new and experienced providers to become a professional member of our organization. Your membership has many benefits for your practice, as well it financially helps our organization to serve more families and provide more professional development opportunities. For more information and to get started, click
here.
Volunteer for Perinatal Support Washington. We operate with the help of volunteers, including mothers who have experienced and recovered from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Please
let us know if you would like to start volunteering.
Donate to Perinatal Support Washington. Perinatal Support Washington relies on your
contributions to carry out our vital programming for families and the professionals who serve them. You can choose to donate a set amount annually or make a one-time donation. Everything helps!
|
|
|
Giving to Perinatal Support Washington
Are you a Microsoft or King County Employee or spouse of one?
Please consider supporting us through your respective workplace giving programs. For King County employees, our code is 9187. Our tax ID is 91-1448669. If you are looking for us, be sure to check our old and new name if you don't see us--we are there.
|
|
Warm Line: 1-888-404-7763 (PPMD)
Support Education, Referral
(formerly Postpartum Support International of Washington)
|
|
|
|
