|
Nearly 85% of new mothers experience what is commonly called the baby blues, that immediate postpartum period of great emotion, feelings of being overwhelmed and changes to hormones. While most will emerge from this phase within a few weeks, for many, the condition is much more serious with moms experiencing perinatal mood disorders that need to be addressed. Mental health issues, including suicide and substance use disorder are the leading drivers of maternal death. According to the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 75% of mothers experiencing maternal mental health conditions go untreated, affecting mothers, children and families.
Nurture KC’s Annual Meeting will address this topic and provide strategies with our Mind Over Matter (MOM) theme this year on June 20. Our keynote speaker is Jamie Belsito, Founder of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. We will hear from a number of panels and presenters addressing bereavement resources for parents suffering a loss, mental health activities at a local and state level, social determinants of health and their impact on maternal wellbeing, and paid parental leave as a strategy in addressing the problem.
Improving maternal mental health has long been a priority at Nurture KC. We provide group counseling to our mothers and hope to provide individual counseling for those in greatest need soon. It is time to expand the scope of our work in this area, beginning with a community conversation that identifies the issues as well as strategies and solutions to move Kansas City forward on a crisis that demands our attention. I hope you will join us on June 20 as we take the next step in improving maternal mental health.
Tracy Russell
Executive Director, Nurture KC
| 
