Postpartum Advocacy: Looking Beyond the Lindsay Clancy Trial
When Lindsay Clancy’s trial made headlines this past summer, as a mom and a perinatal mental health therapist, I found the case both difficult to watch and hard to look away from.
For many fellow moms, it brought back emotions from our postpartum experiences. We saw traces of our own thoughts and emotions in Lindsay Clancy’s story, including the anxiety and feelings of overwhelm, the exhaustion and desperation for sleep, the moments of helplessness. Many therapists, including myself, also felt the responsibility to ensure this never happens again. We felt the fear of potentially missing the signs with our own clients.
It's Not Just "Postpartum" Anymore
The story has brought national attention to the challenges of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) and it seems like we are finally having critical and long overdue conversations. The discussions have begun moving away from just “postpartum”, a shorthand referring to any and all post-delivery mental health issues, and toward developing a shared understanding of postpartum mental health challenges.
PMADs extend beyond postpartum depression, and encompass a variety of mental health disorders, including anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychosis. PMADs range in severity and can occur both during pregnancy and postpartum.
Barriers to Care
The case has also highlighted how fragmented our healthcare system is and the detrimental effects this can have on patient care. Well-meaning providers are often stretched thin and while postpartum screenings are more common, too often the results of these screenings are not met with appropriate follow up and action.
Additionally, many barriers still exist for mothers who are struggling to get the support they need. Access to affordable insurance coverage, a lack of qualified providers who are specifically trained in perinatal mental health, the stigma of seeking mental health support and for many new moms, the simple logistics of finding fifteen minutes to make the first call.
Some of these challenges are immediately solvable and some will require longer-term policy and systemic changes. At Helping Hands, we are addressing these critical gaps in care through proactive planning, clinical screening, community support and providing training for health care providers to ensure that no mother has to suffer alone.
Addressing the Gaps in Care
1. Proactive Planning & Screening
Free Postpartum Plan: This downloadable plan helps expecting parents map out and prepare for the physical and emotional challenges of life after birth.
Universal Screenings: All new parents at Helping Hands are screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to catch early warning signs of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders..
2. Support Groups & Expanded Access to Therapy
Prevention: We offer dedicated new moms (and new dads) groups to parents and are launching an evidence-based postpartum depression prevention group
Expanded Access to Individual Therapy: Flexible sliding scale and "pay what you can afford" therapy options are offered to help overcome financial barriers
3. Professional Development & Training
Specialized Training: All of our staff members and interns receive formal training in the Foundations of Perinatal Mental Health to ensure specialized knowledge and expertise.
Systemic Changes to Close the Gaps
From a systemic perspective, we believe intentional collaboration is needed between medical care practices and mental health providers. Explicit training in perinatal mental health is needed in graduate social work & mental health counseling programs, as well as in medical and nursing schools. We must continue to advocate for statewide and federal policies that support expanded paid maternity and paternity leave time so that both parents can be present for those initial weeks and navigate challenges together.
Tragedies like what happened to Lindsay Clancy’s family, put a spotlight on the gaps that currently exist. Hopefully, through collaborative conversations and intentional action, the resulting change will continue well beyond the conclusion of the legal case so we can prevent future tragedies and provide families with the critical support that they need, when they need it.
Resources for Immediate and Ongoing Support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or their baby, or if they are experiencing severe medical distress or hallucinations, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency department.
If you or someone you know is in a non-emergency situation and is experiencing symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders such anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts, call the Postpartum Resource Center of New York at 1-855-631-0001, or the National Postpartum Support International Helpline at 1-800-944-4733.
If you are looking for ongoing support with symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, check out our website for individual therapy options as well as support groups including support for new moms, moms of color, working moms, fathers, solo parents, special needs parents and couples counseling.
