JUNE NEWSLETTER
As our country faces unprecedented stress and anxiety from the twin pandemics of coronavirus and racism, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advocate for the mental health and well-being of all mothers and mothers-to-be in the United States.

Mothers have borne an extraordinary physical, emotional, and mental load during the months of quarantine: managing jobs, caring for family, maintaining schedules,
home-schooling and entertaining children, checking on neighbors and the elderly.

COVID-19 has opened a Pandora's box of worry for pregnant women,
who have unanswered questions about how the coronavirus will impact them,
their unborn babies, and their newborn infants.

Women of color and women living in poverty are disproportionately impacted by
the coronavirus, mental health conditions, and maternal morbidity and mortality.

Black mothers worry every day that their children might die
simply because of the color of their skin.
In the face of all these challenges, we renew our commitment
to support, advocate for, and lift up all mothers in our country,
regardless of race, ethnicity, or income.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS MONTH WRAP-UP
VIRTUAL CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
Maternal Mental Health
During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Almost 450 people joined MMHLA's second annual briefing on maternal mental health. Discussion focused on how the pandemic is impacting mental health, especially for new mothers, mothers-to-be, women of color and women living in poverty.

MMHLA advocated for the following important items:
  1. extending Medicaid for eligible new mothers for a full year postpartum
  2. increasing federal funding to states for maternal mental health programs
  3. including vulnerable populations -- women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, women of color, and women living in poverty -- in COVID-19 research
  4. supporting a COVID-19 stimulus package with robust mental health resources
ADVOCACY EVENTS
MMHLA proudly supported these events in May

COVID-19
COVID-19 SIGN ON LETTER
So many questions remain unanswered about COVID-19 and its impact on pregnant women, their unborn babies, and their newborn infants. This knowledge gap, along with stress and social isolation, is increasing anxiety and depression among new mothers and mothers-to-be. Moreover, women of color and women who live in poverty are disproportionately affected by both mental health issues and the coronavirus.

MMHLA and sister organizations 2020Mom and Postpartum Support International encourage expanding research and clinical trials to include women who are typically excluded from these activities: women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, women of color, and women who live in poverty.

JOIN AS A CO-SIGNOR BY FRIDAY, JUNE 12
COVID-19 RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Several academic institutions and research organizations have launched studies looking at the impact of the coronavirus on women and their infants. Learn more HERE.

Help spread the word about these important research projects.
MMH ROUND-UP
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH FACTSHEET
MMHLA is pleased to share a new FACT SHEET ON MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH with the latest statistics and terminology. This Fact Sheet was prepared by specialists in public health, obstetrics, pediatrics, nursing, psychiatry, and psychology. This is the first in a series of Fact Sheets from MMHLA; others will be published this summer.
COSTS OF UNTREATED MMH CONDITIONS
The costs of untreated MMH conditions are significant: $32,000 per mother-infant pair or $14.2 billion in 2017 in the United States. This NEW STUDY concludes that efforts to lower the prevalence of untreated MMH could lead to substantial economic savings.
COURSE ON WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Join the terrific team at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Women's Mental Health as they lead an 8-week course entitled PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS IN WOMEN: Diagnostic and Treatment Considerations Across the Female Lifespan. Course starts Monday, June 8.
NATIONAL IMPROVEMENT CHALLENGE
The  Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care  has announced a National Improvement Challenge focusing on MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH: Depression and Anxiety Bundle . Registration is due June 19, 2020 and final applications are due Sept 16, 2020. Winners of the challenge will receive awards of up to $3,000.
NIH GRANTS FOR MATERNAL MORTALITY
The National Institutes of Health have announced a new grant opportunity: IMPROVE: Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone. This grant opportunity is for Administrative Supplements to active social, biobehavioral, and fundamental science awards. Applications including community partnerships and interdisciplinary research are strongly encouraged.
FACTORING IN FATHERS
Just in time for Father's Day: PARENTAL MENTAL HEALTH: Factoring in Fathers is the latest book from Jane Honikman, Founder of Postpartum Support International. Co-authored with Daniel Singley, this book aims to include men in the discussion about early parenthood and to foster a whole-family approach to parental mental health.
ALL THAT I AM, OR HOPE TO BE, I OWE TO MY ANGEL MOTHER.
Abraham Lincoln
Working with Policy Makers to Address Maternal Mental Health Conditions
Our vision is that all childbearing women in the United States will be educated about and screened for maternal mental health conditions and have access to resources for recovery.