The Perinatal Mental Health Task Force will provide comprehensive policy recommendations for improving perinatal mental health in the District. 

The Task Force will study and make recommendations to the Council regarding the following:

• Vulnerable populations and risk factors for perinatal mental health disorders;
• Evidence-based and promising practices for those with or at risk of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders;
• Barriers to access to care during the perinatal period for birthing people and their partners and identifying evidence-based and promising practices for care coordination, systems navigation, and case management services that address and eliminate barriers to accessing care and care utilization for birthing people and their partners;
• Evidence-informed practices that are culturally congruent and accessible to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities that exist in addressing prevention, screening, diagnosis, intervention, and treatment, and recovery from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders;
• National and global models that successfully promote access to care, including screening, diagnosis, intervention, treatment, recovery, and prevention services for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the pregnant or postpartum person and non-birthing partner;
• Community-based or multigenerational practices that support individuals and families affected by a maternal mental health condition;
• Successful initiatives regarding workforce development encompassing the hiring, training, and retention of a behavioral health care workforce as it relates to perinatal mental health, including maximizing non-traditional behavioral health supports such as peer support and community health workers;
• Models for private and public funding of perinatal mental health initiatives; and
• A landscape analysis of available perinatal mental health programs, treatments, and services, and notable innovations and gaps in care provision and coordination, encompassing the ability to serve the diversity of perinatal experiences of unique populations, including Black birthing people, Hispanic birthing people, pregnant and postpartum people of color, perinatal immigrant populations, adolescents who are pregnant and parenting, LGBTQIA+.

Task Force Members

• Perinatal Mental Health Task Force Establishment Legislation [PDF]
• Perinatal Mental Health Task Force Members [PDF]

Task Force Meetings

• Member Interest Meeting
• January Monthly Meeting
• February Monthly Meeting

Other Documents

•  DHCF Medicaid Director Letter # 22-04