A Call to Action for Maternal Mental Health
Early in the morning on Tuesday, August 27th, 90 influential leaders in Monterey County came together over breakfast to hear about the latest in maternal mental health and how their agencies can play a role in improving outcomes for families.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Mary Claire Heffron, former Clinical Director of the Early Intervention Services Unit, UCSF Benioff Hospital in Oakland and lead trainer for First 5 Monterey County’s Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health training series. She discussed the adverse effects of postpartum disorders on a child during a critical time for building the capacity for relationships and resiliency. Dr. Amie Miller, Director of Behavioral Health at the Monterey County Health Department, closed with a call to work together to shift systems in order to increase access and promote equity so that all mothers and their infants can thrive.
The free event was hosted by the Monterey County Maternal Mental Health Task Force. Key partners included Bright Beginnings, First 5 Monterey County, Child Abuse Prevention Council, and the CSUMB Social Work Department.