Recognizing programs supporting maternal mental health
2020 Mom and Marcé of North America (MONA), in partnership with Postpartum Support International (PSI) and Denver’s Zoma Foundation, announced the three winners of the 2018 National Maternal Mental Health Innovation Awards program.
The annual Maternal Mental Health Innovation Awards in 2017 to recognize impactful programs for their leadership in supporting maternal mental health (MMH); and to share innovative models that have the potential to scale and promote national change in a rapid and effective manner. Up to 1 in 5 women will encounter MMH disorders, such as postpartum depression, during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
The Award Winners cover three categories:
Innovative Programs in Care
Clinical care models with proven outcomes for addressing MMH and feasibility for broad adoption.
WINNER: Nan Tolbert Nurturing Center –whose Emotional Care Program is composed of psychotherapy services as well as in-home (non-clinical) care for new mothers. The Program’s objectives are to help mothers prevent, identify early and treat postpartum depression/anxiety/stress and adjustment needs, to support mother-infant bonding, to promote healthy parenting skills, and reduce maternal isolation.
Innovative Community Solutions
Leadership and communication that brings focus to MMH and sustainable engagement.
WINNER: Postpartum Support Virginia -led the Williamsburg Maternal Mental Health Coalition, which has worked to implement universal education, screening, treatment, and referral for MMH. The Coalition convened community stakeholders who interact with women during the perinatal timeframe to address MMH with a coordinated, comprehensive, community-wide approach.
Innovation in Policy and Advocacy
National, state or local legislative or regulatory advocacy efforts with impactful results stemming from passage and/or implementation.
WINNER: Susan Feingold, PhD and Barry Lewis, Esq. -for their work on Illinois Public Act 100-0574. This is the first criminal law in the US recognizing the effects of postpartum illness. The law allows the potential for a mitigated punishment for women convicted of infanticide whose crime was committed while under the influence of a postpartum psychosis.
The award submissions were reviewed by an esteemed panel of five judges.
The Honorable Mentions in each category are: Park Nicolett Health Systems (Programs in Care), Docs For Tots (Community Solutions) and Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition (Policy and Advocacy).
The winners are being recognized for their exemplary programs and initiatives which move past barriers to facilitate the delivery of care to women with MMH disorders. To further their work, each first place winners will receive $3,000 and the honorable mention winners will receive $1,000.
Awards were presented at the PSI Conference July 14, 2018 in Houston, Texas, where first place winners were involved in a panel discussion highlighting their programs.
2020 Mom will also host webinars featuring the programs of each winner beginning in September. For more information about the webinars and the winning programs, visit www.2020mom.org/innovation-awards.