In Massachusetts and nationwide, postpartum depression and other Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are an urgent mental health care crisis. We know that at least 20% or more of new moms struggle with PMADs, with symptoms including guilt, shame, hopelessness, anxiety, and more.

Unfortunately, most parents facing these mental health challenges do NOT get identified or treated. They face increased difficulty not only caring for themselves, but for their new baby. And those facing racial and/or economic inequities are both more likely to suffer from PMADs and less likely to access treatment.

The Massachusetts Mind the Gap Coalition is working hard to change this, and you can help! In one easy step, tell your State Representative and State Senator to act on two next steps for better PMAD care:

• Last year, the Mind the Gap Coalition successfully passed the Moms Matter Act, a grant program to invest in community-based programs supporting new parents – like local support groups – but it still needs to be funded.

• We also need to expand and diversify the perinatal (during pregnancy and postpartum) mental health (PMH) workforce to ensure that parents who need mental health care can find a provider. HD.2877/SD. 992, An Act to establish a perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund, would create a fund to train mental health professionals in PMH, with a focus on expanding culturally congruent care, as recommended by the state’s Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health.

Contact your State Representative and State Senator today and urge them to fund the Moms Matter Act in the FY ’26 state budget AND sign on to the perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund bill.

Thank you for joining us to help ensure that parents in ALL communities get the support they need!

--The Massachusetts Mind the Gap Steering Committee

Danielle Beasley, Founder, Daughters of Yahweh Community Outreach

Jessie Colbert, Executive Director, Mass. PPD Fund

Stephanie Crawford, M.Ed, Founder, Propa City Community Outreach, Owner, Belle Joie Doula & Family Services

Manoucheka Dasse, Propa City Community Outreach Peer Support Mentor

Amanda Hollis Garaffo, Esq.

Ashley C. Healy, Esq.,

Jessica Paulino, The EMA Project

Dr. Jo-Anna L. Rorie, CNM, PhD, Associate Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, OB GYN Foundation

Chloe Schwartz, MPH, Director, Maternal Infant Health, March of Dimes Boston Market