Project:
Perinatal Mental Health Task Force
Both mothers and fathers commonly experience depression and anxiety during pregnancy and parenting. Without treatment, these distressing feelings may affect how parents respond to and bond with their child as well. They can also impact the child’s development.
Fortunately, help is available—from family, peers and providers— to prevent, identify and treat perinatal mood disorders and to build the healthy family relationships that help communities thrive.
The Whatcom Perinatal Mental Health Task Force grew out of a work group formed to address the prioritized needs to increase community awareness of perinatal mood disorders, expand our local network of providers skilled in identifying, referring and providing treatment, develop accessible and culturally relevant supports for new mothers, and create current resource tools for Whatcom County.
The Task Force benefits from the support of the Whatcom County Behavioral Health Program Tax Fund, Perinatal Support Washington and the dedicated work of Task Force members. Task Force members include: private practice clinicians in psychiatry, mental health counseling, midwifery, and doula care, parent advocates, and staff from PeaceHealth, federally qualified health centers (Unity Care NW and Sea Mar), social service agencies, public health, and a county school district.
The Task Force Meets Monthly on the 4th Wednesday 12:30-1:30 at the Health Department downtown.