JFS Maternal Mental Health Program supports moms before and after giving birth

Since it is a relatively new program, the Sonia Schorr Sloan Maternal Mental Health Program at Jewish Family Services of Delaware is putting an emphasis on outreach.

Some obstetrician-gynecologists don’t screen patients for postpartum depression, perhaps because they don’t know where to make referrals. The agency’s outreach is targeting people and places encountered by new and expectant mothers: pediatricians, doulas, lactation consultants, childcare centers, preschools, and even massage and physical therapists.

Healthcare providers are the primary connectors in linking new and expectant moms with the program, said Dr. Angelica Montalvo-Artis, a clinical psychologist and the program director. She emphasizes the importance of those providers using a “warm handoff” to make that connection – making the call to set up the first appointment, for example, rather than just giving the mom a phone number or email address and hoping they follow through.

Besides in-office and online individual therapy and support groups, JFS will take its maternal mental health program off-site when there is a request. In 2023, it ran a community support program at the Gaudenzia Claymont Center for Pregnant and Parenting Women, an upstate center for women recovering from substance abuse. JFS also has an ongoing relationship with Delaware Adolescent Program Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides education, outreach, mentoring and supportive services for new and expectant teen mothers.

Whether a mom’s needs are long- or short-term, whether they’re covered completely or partially by insurance, or not at all, the JFS program strives to meet them where they are and develop an appropriate treatment plan. “Moms feel heard; they feel understood, and that they matter,” said Montalvo-Artis.

More moms’ stories

Some 20 weeks into her first pregnancy, Cristiane Bond received stunning and disturbing news. The child she was carrying would be born with a congenital heart disease. When her daughter Clara arrived in July, she not only had a condition known as heterotaxy syndrome – essentially, key portions of her heart were located opposite of how they should be – but she was also born without a spleen, making her more susceptible to infections. Within days of her birth, Clara was undergoing heart surgery, then another procedure for a gastrointestinal infection. There is at least one more surgery on the horizon, next summer at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

“I had no hope whatsoever. I had postpartum depression. I was very confused,” said Bond. Members of baby Clara’s cardiac care team at Nemours Children’s Hospital connected her with Jewish Family Services. Through weekly meetings with a JFS therapist and regular participation in a support group, the 34-year-old has learned to cope with her own depression and anxiety, and has developed a better understanding of Clara’s complex health issues.

“Small things would become big things for me. I put a lot of guilt and shame on myself,” she said. “I’m better now at managing relationships. I have more awareness, knowing what makes me feel the way I do, how to cope with it.”

After struggling for several years with depression and other mental health issues, Mary Stucky wasn’t sure what to expect when she learned in spring 2023 that she was pregnant. Thanks to positive prior experiences with Jewish Family Services’ outpatient mental health treatment program, the 23-year-old woman knew where to turn.

She transitioned into JFS’s Maternal Mental Health Program, where she has received one-on-one counseling, assistance with managing her medications, and the opportunity to participate in a support group with new and expectant mothers.

“It has helped me a lot, not only the individual therapy sessions but also the support group. It helps to connect with other mothers who are struggling,” Stucky said in December as she awaited the birth of her daughter. “I get to share my stories, hear other moms’ stories. They sympathize with depression. They help me.”

Although the cost of her treatment is covered by Medicaid, Stucky said it’s good to know that the program will serve women who don’t have insurance. That’s one reason she has recommended JFS to other new and expectant moms. She’s also pleased that, with her boyfriend injured and out of work, the program helped her find a stroller for the baby.

“I have their phone number. I can call or text anytime,” she said. “JFS will be there for me for as long as I need them.”

For more information on Sonia Schorr Sloan Maternal Mental Health Program for pregnant and postpartum patients, go to jfsdelaware.org/maternal-mental-health or call 302-478-9411.