Can you take five minutes to let your representative in the U.S. House know that you want to see the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act PASS? We need your help!

For the last THREE Congressional sessions, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) has repeatedly introduced this bill, which directs the National Institutes of Health to intensify research on postpartum depression - and furthermore, creates a grant program for local providers to establish postpartum diagnosis and treatment delivery systems.

This year's bill number is H.R. 1940.

The bill currently has 75 co-sponsors and was the subject of a hearing last year in the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Rep. Rush is a senior member on this committee of jurisdiction.

Staffers have been working hard to have this important piece of legislation brought to the floor for a vote, and they believe we are close to achieving that goal. However, they need as much support as we can muster in order to make one final push. If they can get another 25 co-sponsors on the bill and reach 100 (or more), it will help to compel the House leadership to let the full House of Representatives vote on the bill.

Please contact your congressional Representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor and support H.R. 1940, the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act. To look up your Representative's contact information, click here. You can submit a letter online, but a phone call to your Rep's office always goes a long way, too!

Here's a sample letter - Feel free to cut-and-paste:

Dear ______,

I am one of your constituents, writing to urge you to support the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, H.R. 1940.

This is a bill that directs the NIMH to intensify research on postpartum depression; and furthermore, creates a grant program for local providers to establish postpartum diagnosis and treatment delivery systems.

For the last three Congressional sessions, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) has introduced the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act. The bill currently has 75 co-sponsors and was the subject of a hearing last year in the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

We have been working hard to have this important piece of legislation brought to the Floor for a vote, and we believe we are close to achieving that goal. If we can get another 25 co-sponsors on the bill and reach 100 (or more), it will help us compel the House leadership to let the full House of Representatives vote on the bill.

It is possible to prevent crises related to postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis. These are conditions affecting thousands of women, as well as their children and families, each year. Please help us make prevention a reality by supporting this bill.

Thank you,

_______________

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (4)

Lend your voice in support of new federal legislation known as The MOTHERS Act (The Mom's Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression) !

The bill was introduced last week by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill).

If adopted by Congress, the MOTHERS Act will ensure that new moms and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms, and provided with essential services.

In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses, and treatments for postpartum depression. This legislation incorporates a House bill, the Melanie Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, which would expand and intensify research at the NIH with respect to PPD and psychosis.

Specifically, the MOTHERS Act will help new moms by:

* Providing important education and screening on postpartum depression (PPD) that can lead to early identification and treatment. A major part of prevention is informing new mothers about the symptoms and providing them with the services that are available in their community. Thus, this legislation includes two grants to help health care providers educate, identify and treat PPD.

* Awarding grants to states, so that local health care providers (physicians, nurse midwives, and other licensed health care professionals) can educate women who have recently given birth and their families about PPD before the mothers leave the birthing center and offer the opportunity for new mothers to be screened for postpartum depression symptoms during the first year of postnatal checkups.

* Awarding grants to states and local governments, public or nonprofit hospitals, and community-based organizations for the delivery of essential services to individuals with postpartum depression and psychosis and their families, including enhanced outpatient and home-based health care, inpatient care and support services.

* Expanding important research to improve and discover new treatments, diagnostic tools, and educational materials for providers. Since the exact cause of PPD isn't known, research continues to be the key to unlocking the mystery of this condition.

So far, the MOTHERS Act has been endorsed by Postpartum Support International (PSI), the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and others.

To read a transcript of the bill being introduced last week in Congress, click here.

To look up your U.S. Senator's office and make your voice heard in support of this bill, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (5)

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has published a heart-wrenching, important story on the Soukakos family and the personal tragedy that led to Washington State's new Postpartum Depression Public Awareness Campaign.

To read "Grief Becomes a Force for Change," click here.

To read the original reporting on this story from January 2003, "Severe Postpartum Depression Leaves Them Without Wife & Mother," click here.

To thank Post-Intelligencer reporter Carol Smith for her informed and sensitive coverage of this issue, drop her a line: carolsmith (at) seattlepi (dot) com.

Posted by Sarah M. at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Maia Szalavitz has written an op-ed for The Huffington Post, talking back to the recent (and ridiculous) New York Times story and HHS report on breastfeeding: "Breastfeed or Else?: NYT, HHS Boost Sketchy Science, Neglect PPD."

Three cheers for Szalavitz, who points out the complete disregard of PPD inherent in the NYT piece - and the real issues real mothers face in making feeding decisions for their infants.

Making the "right" choice for a baby isn't always as simple as the breastfeeding bullies imply, particularly when mental wellness is at stake and prescription medications are needed. Any "public service" campaign that relies upon blame and guilt to increase breastfeeding rates is unconscionable, not to mention ineffective at addressing the big picture of wellness for women and babies.

Posted by Sarah M. at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (4)

A new study conducted in Sweden finds that the reported prevalence of depressive disorders among ob/gyn patients varies from 10 percent up to a staggering 40 percent.

Which reminds us once again that ob/gyns and their nurses really are on the front lines, with a responsibility to screen for, diagnose, and treat or refer the significant number of women suffering from depression and mood disorders.

The Postpartum Stress Center in Philadelphia, founded by Karen Kleiman, has some excellent online information and on-site training for healthcare professionals. To check it out, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mother, PPD survivor, and author Sandra Poulin lives in my hometown in suburban Dallas. The local paper there just published a feature story on Poulin's new(ish) book, The Mother-to-Mother Postpartum Depression Support Book, which shares the postpartum stories of women from around the world.

"Personal Story Leads to Postpartum Book": Check it out!

Posted by Sarah M. at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

The Center for Research on Minority Health (CRMH), located at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, will host its Fourth Annual Summer Workshop June 24-30: "Disparities in Health in America: Working Toward Social Justice."

And on the agenda this year is a session by Dr. Carlotta Arthur from the Department of Psychology at Smith College, "A Little Rain Each Day: Psychological Stress and Health Disparities," Monday, June 26 at 2:15 p.m.

There's still time to register! Click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (4)

In the retrial of Andrea Yates, who suffered from undiagnosed and inappropriately treated postpartum psychosis (a rare but very dangerous condition) and who drowned her children in the family bathtub, this update from The Houston Chronicle:

A group of women's mental health advocates, doctors and professors joined Andrea Yates' attorneys Wednesday in challenging the qualifications of expert witnesses the prosecution is expected to use in Yates' upcoming retrial.

Yates' attorneys are challenging the qualifications of the state's expert witnesses, including Dr. Michael Welner, a New York forensic psychiatrist who evaluated Yates during a two-day period last month at Rusk State Hospital.

A mistrial was declared in Yates' first trial when a journalist (of all people) discovered that an "expert" witness for the prosecution had knowingly given false testimony on the stand. His testimony had played a crucial role in the jury's decision to convict in the case. (In addition to this little snafu, more than one "expert" witness in the case - much like Andrea's long trail of unqualified psychiatrists and caregivers - had no particular expertise in perinatal mental health issues, no specialized knowledge in the rare condition of postpartum psychosis.)

There is no outcome that could possibly mean true "justice" in this particular case - not for Andrea, nor for her children, nor for her now ex-husband Rusty Yates. It's a heartbreaking story of the vast ineptitude of the medical community and the failure of families and communities at large to understand, recognize, and respond to serious mental illness in childbearing women. I highly recommend journalist Suzanne O'Malley's Edgar-nominated book on the Yates case, which provides a complete and grounded perspective on the nature of postpartum psychosis: Are You There Alone?: The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea Yates. O'Malley is one of the few to cover this case and others like it with the understanding that pre-existing but undiagnosed, untreated bipolar disorder (manic-depression) had a direct connection to the Yates family tragedy.

The Houston Chronicle is covering this story most fully, since it is the hometown of the Yates family and the jurisdiction for the criminal case. To read today's complete story, click here.

If you are interested in honoring the memory of the Yates children, consider helping to prevent this tragedy for other children and families, by donating your money or time to the Yates Children Memorial Fund for Women's Mental Health, administered by the Houston Chapter of the National Mental Health Association (NMHA). It was created in 2002 to provide information and education about postpartum illness to women and their families, as well as to healthcare providers.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (4)

Dr. Dan Siegel (co-author of the fabulous book, Parenting from the Inside Out) will be the guest speaker at an event for maternal-child health, education, and community service professionals next Wednesday, June 21 in L.A.

Siegel will be the keynote at the Los Angeles County First Annual Mental Health Sympsosium, addressing early attachment and how relationships in early childhood affect the development of the brain.

If you're a professional in the field and would like to attend, here's the skinny:

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
5 to 6:30 p.m., private cocktail reception with Dr. Siegel
Radisson Hotel Whittier
7320 Greenleaf Avenue
Whittier , CA 90602

To register or get more info, go to www.intercommunity.org.

Posted by Sarah M. at 01:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (4)

At its annual conference last week, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) honored actress Brooke Shields and Mary Jo Codey, former First Lady of New Jersey, for their efforts to raise awareness, increase access to care, and banish stigma about postpartum depression (PPD).

Each woman received NMHA's inagural forWARD tribute of appreciation for speaking out publicly about her personal experience of mental illness. They also presented Shields with the William Styron Award, named after Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Styron (Sophie's Choice), who battled depression throughout his life.

Just in case you've been under a rock for the past two years, Shields wrote a book about her personal experience with PPD, Down Came the Rain. She then went on to represent the face and voice of mothers by withstanding public criticism from the likes of Hollywood juggernaut and Scientologist Tom Cruise.

I've gotta applaud the NMHA's choice of these two women for prominent honors this year - The impact a high-profile woman can have on millions of expectant and new mothers when she tells the truth of her experience is staggering! And incorporating the awards program into their biggest annual membership event helps ensure that PPD and other perinatal mood disorders are on the radar of professionals in the mental health care and public policy fields!

Also of interest: NMHA honord Aetna for its groundbreaking depression management program, which was prompted in part by employers who recognize depression as a frequent cause of absenteeism and low productivity. Aetna is now covering depression managmeent programs in several dozen medical offices around the U.S. The Aetna Depression Management Program provides clinical tools for physicians, training for office staff, access to Aetna nurse case managers, and support from Aetna's behavioral health specialists. This program has upped reimbursement for physicians who actively screen and talk with patients to diagnose depression - an approach provides physicians with the tools to diagnose and treat depression in the primary care setting, which leads to better overall care. (Sad but true: Research suggests that only half of the millions of Americans affected by depression each year seek help.)

Also of interest, another famous name on the "Who's Who" of brilliant Americans who have suffered from mental illness: NMHA reocnigzed author Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of the new book Lincoln's Melancholy, chronicles President Lincoln's lifelong struggle with depression and how he used his own experience to lead his country through a painful period of history.

Posted by Sarah M. at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (34)

Applause for Medem's Smart Parents' Health Source and their Children's Health Update e-newsletter, which goes out to thousands of American parents.

Their June 1 edition featured a new study published in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry that examines how a parent's depression affects children.

Here's an excerpt of their coverage:

"Research points to an additional reason for parents who are suffering from depression to seek treatment - for their children. A 20-year study published in the June Issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry has found that children of depressed parents are at higher-risk for psychiatric and medical problems.

"Depression is a common illness. In the United States, about 18.8 million adults (nearly one in 10), suffer from a depressive illness. The good news - depression is treatable. In fact, 80 percent to 90 percent of people who receive treatment experience significant improvement and almost all patients who receive treatment experience some benefit."

Posted by Sarah M. at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (9)