New Program Targets Maternal Depression In Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, RI — A new initiative launched by the Rhode Island Department is Health and Women and Infants Hospital is focused on the mental health of mothers across the state. On Monday, the department announced the creation of the Rhode Island Maternal Psychiatry Network, or RI MomsPRN.

The program includes a phone consultation service for doctors and other healthcare providers. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., perinatal behavioral health specialists will staff the line, offering advice for diagnoses, treatment plans and medication management for pregnant and post-partum women, the department said. Experts on the panel include a resource and referral specialist, perinatal psychiatrist and perinatal psychologist.

"We want to make sure that all babies, moms and families in every ZIP code in Rhode Island have an equal opportunity to be healthy," said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the department's director of health. "The most common medical complication of childbirth is depression. It is crucial that we equip healthcare providers in Rhode Island with the tools and resources they need to support women during this critical phase. Connection is everything."

According to the department, approximately 20 percent of Rhode Island women experience depression before, during or after their pregnancy. Symptoms can include sad mood, loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness, problems concentrating, trouble making decisions and changes in eating or sleeping habits.

For the health of both the mother and baby, doctors are encouraged to routinely screen women for depression and other behavioral health issues.

Margaret Howard, the director of the Center for Women’s Behavioral Health at Women and Infants Hospital, said that "Perinatal mood and substance use disorders are highly treatable."

"Rhode Island is fortunate to have a robust community of perinatal mental health experts, unique programming at CWBH, and services at the Day Hospital at Women and Infants," Howard continued. "However, there is still a need for more specialized providers. RI MomsPRN is designed to build provider capacity in treating mild to moderate cases of perinatal mood complications and to prioritize specialty resources for high-risk women with more complex conditions."

The RI MomsPRN program was funded by a five-year grant from the US Health Resources and Services Administration. More information is available on Women and Infants' website.