About Mothers Care
In 2010, an Ob/Gyn and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist founded Mothers Care to address the unmet need for uniform and reliable screening and treatment of prenatal and postpartum (perinatal) mood and anxiety disorders. Services are evidenced-based and designed to accurately assess and detect risk factors. Once identified, services are tailored to address each person’s unique situation.
Mothers Care services are provided in a private practice setting. Licensed clinicians have an expertise in perinatal mental health. Services are client centered, non-judgmental and trauma-informed. At Mothers Care, support and strategies are designed to build on each person’s and each family’s strengths.
How Does It Work?
Participating Ob/Gyns, mid-wives, pediatricians and healthcare providers utilize services to accurately identify if a person is at risk for experiencing a prenatal and postpartum (perinatal) mood and anxiety disorder. During a visit to a participating healthcare provider, a patient completes the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), a ten-question research-validated screening tool. Ideally, people are screened multiple times during pregnancy and throughout the first year postpartum. Universal and interval screening reduces stigma and allows for more accurate monitoring of mental health in the perinatal period.
Mothers Care initial services include support, education, community resources, treatment planning and up to two counseling sessions at no fee to the client or provider. In order to reduce barriers and to increase access to services, Mothers Care works with community partners to fund these initial services. When indicated, additional services are secured through the utilization of insurance, private pay, and community resources.
Working together, health care providers and Mothers Care mental health professionals support women and their families through the vulnerable perinatal period. In the case of an emergency, health care providers and the Mothers Care clinicians use a collaborative approach to treat and monitor high-risk situations.
Why Mothers Care?
Nationally, nearly 1 in 5 women struggle with maternal mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, yet most go untreated (2020mom). Additionally, 1 in 10 Dads will experience depression postpartum (Postpartum.net). The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated mental health struggles. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) August 2020 findings, 40.9% of U.S. adults reported struggling with poor mental health.
Mothers Care services adhere to and exceed the recommendations of The United States Preventive Services Task Force and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Mothers Care is a Tier 1 evidence-based provider on the Sonoma County Upstream Investment Portfolio.
At Mothers Care, we use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (English | Español) at the initiation of services, to measures program utilization and effectiveness of the services. The Adverse Childhood Experiences survey (ACEs) is administered at the initial counseling session, and the results are incorporated into the on-going treatment planning.