We all have a role in supporting families.

Are you a visiting nurse, infant case manager, early learning specialist, childcare provider, doula, midwife, OBGYN, pediatrician, therapist, social worker, or other community member working with families?  Your ability to provide respectful, compassionate, and accurate information to families in the perinatal period is vital to well-being of our community.

Providers continue to be a top resource for families seeking advice and asking questions related to their children and their own well-being. That’s why we are here to support your work.

We want you to be confident in your care of local families.

"What is not changing is that women remain reluctant to ask for help. They are nervous about disclosing the thoughts they are having. They secretly wonder if their thoughts are an indication that they are going crazy. They privately worry that if they reveal what they are obsessing about, they will be judged harshly and determined to be unfit as a mother."

–Karen Kleinman, MSW, Postpartum Stress Center

Our goal is for all Whatcom County Healthcare and Social Service Providers who serve families to:

  • Facilitate consistent conversations with families about the adjustment to parenting and perinatal mental health using welcoming and non-judgmental language.
  • Gain basic foundational skills in perinatal mental health, including common symptoms, recommended screenings, and therapeutic referrals.
  • Access advanced training in perinatal mental health to increase the number of specialized clinicians embedded throughout our health care and community services network.
  • See your own individual role and importance in supporting families!

Just as you are dedicated to the families you serve, we are dedicated to you. Together, we can build a community where all families thrive!