Perinatal Mental Health Training

Increasing provider capacity to identify, refer, and treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) is a key component of our work. This starts with offering access to high-quality, evidence-based continuing education and training across provider types and specialties.

Local, regional and national training opportunities are available to support you.

Annual Whatcom County Trainings

October 17-18, 2023. Our annual trainings form the backbone of our efforts to build community capacity.

This two-day training is free and open to clinical and non-clinical professionals working with families in the childbearing years in Whatcom County. Content will include evidence-based interventions aimed at the prevention, support, and treatment of mental health concerns from pregnancy to postpartum.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

  • Impacts of racism, oppression, and stigma on perinatal mental health
  • Provider panel on supporting families experiencing psychosocial challenges
  • Parent panel: challenges, help, and hope
  • Trauma-informed approaches to perinatal mental health care
  • Strategies for sustaining well-being

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

  • Birth trauma: impacts and interventions
  • Provider panel on supporting parents experiencing SUDs in the perinatal period
  • Parent panel: challenges, help, and hope
  • Perinatal mental health crisis: components of assessment and care
  • Perinatal loss

Register here: https://perinatalsupport.org/event/whatcom-oct-2023/. This training has been developed in collaboration with Perinatal Support Washington and with grant funding from the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Education hours pending.

10-Month Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Training & Case Consultation

Annually, starting each September. In partnership with Perinatal Support Washington and local specialist Michelle Anderson LMCH, PMH-C, this 10-month training allows participants to take a deeper look at PMADs, learning advanced clinical skills each session. Instruction is followed by time for case consultation. This training is intended for mental health practitioners.

Perinatal Mental Health Training for Non-Clinical Providers in Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties

Ongoing. Email training@perinatalsupport.org to learn more. This drop-in monthly consultation is lead by local experienced perinatal mental health clinician Michelle Anderson, LMHC, PMH-C.  Sessions provide an opportunity to discuss cases, review best practices for screening, discuss community resources, and network. Ideal for any professional working with childbearing people- home visitors, case managers, WIC, public health, lactation specialists, midwives, doulas, early childhood providers, and more!

On-Demand Trainings: Coming Soon!

Local specialists bring you pertinent content to help your practice and build a strong community standard of care in Whatcom County.

  • Effective Screening Practices for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
  • Medication Management of Perinatal Mood Disorders
  • Family Resource Navigation for Perinatal Mental Health
  • Parent Panel: PMADs in Whatcom County
  • Why Therapy in the Perinatal Period?
  • Mindfulness in the Perinatal Period
  • Substance Use Disorder in the Perinatal Period

Onsite support for your practice

Would you like support building evidence-based practices in your clinical setting? Our Task Force would love to help you!  Whether you need advise on screening practices, workflow issues, or coordinating referral pathways, our clinical and training team can lend a hand.

Contact Us to talk more about options for collaboration.

Other trusted sources for basic and advanced perinatal mental health training

PERINATAL SUPPORT WASHINGTON
Definitive resource on PMADs in Washington state, source of high quality, evidence-based, live and recorded webinars often featuring local specialists.

20/20 MOM
Annual Maternal Mental Health Forum and  frequent webinars covering topics from governmental policy and advocacy, maternal suicide, racial equity in maternal mental health, and so much more!

POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL
Certificate course and training pathway, frontline provider training, Advisory Council webinar series, and a free Maternal Mental Health Webinar.

MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH NOW
Basic and advanced online training courses, webinar series, and practice toolkits for providers such as Queer & Trans Perinatal Mental Health.

MASSACHUSETTS CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS PROGRAM (MCPAP) FOR MOMS
Simple and evidence-based clinical practice toolkits designed for providers including Obstetric, Pediatric, and Substance Use Providers.