A team at North Carolina State University is assessing perinatal mental health resources in North Carolina and needs your help.
They are reaching out to professionals who provide services to pregnant and postpartum women and asking them to complete a 5-10 minute online survey. Recently, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended universal depression screening for perinatal women to improve maternal mental health. Unfortunately, many professionals and their patients don’t know who to turn to once a woman has been identified with a mental health need. In fact, lack of knowledge regarding treatment resources is a significant barrier to treatment following a positive screening of a postpartum mood disorder (Goodman, 2009; Ko, Farr, Dietz & Robbins, 2012; O’Mahen & Flyne, 2008).
To address this barrier and improve perinatal mental health in North Carolina, this study seeks to assess the resources across the state. The initial aim of the study is to identify all perinatal mental health resources in the state and aggregate the results to determine areas in which resources are insufficient. A secondary aim of the study is to develop a state-wide referral list of perinatal mental health providers and programs. You do not have to be included in the referral list in order to participate.
The researchers are interested in learning more about your services as well as the programs and professionals to whom you refer. The study is open to individuals or agencies who screen, refer, or treat women experiencing mental health symptoms in the perinatal period (during pregnancy or the year following delivery). Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey and forward this email along to anyone you know who serves perinatal women. Your participation is greatly appreciated.
Take the survey.