As we close out May, which is national Mental Health Awareness Month as well as Maternal Mental Health Awareness month, we want to celebrate all of our partners that make mental health care accessible to people across Illinois.
Our partners over at the Well Child Center led by Michelle Esquivel remind us that there are various resources available to those mothers who are parenting through mental health challenges, like the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA).
We also know that Black mothers in particular face alarming disparities when it comes to pregnancy-related complications and lack of mental health care support. That’s why we’re excited about the state moving to expand access to doulas for pregnant people in Illinois, as well as allow Medicaid-certified doulas to be present for medical care and delivery.
As the state increases access, we need to stay alert about threats to both Medicaid or Medicare that decrease access, and threaten the success of expansions like this.
A special shout-out to State Rep. Yolanda Morris for leading this effort, as well as other leaders in the field like Mai Heath at NDoula, who has been providing these necessary services in Chicago for years.
In fact, there’s still a chance to join NDoula’s Community Caregiver Shower on June 7th at the Gary Comer Youth Center. You can learn more and register here.
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