Increasing access to support for common maternal mental health problems could have a net benefit of half a billion pounds
In a new study commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), researchers from LSE evaluated the economic viability of addressing the existing substantial gaps in support for women not meeting the threshold for specialist perinatal mental health services i.e., early support to prevent things getting worse. The importance of providing integrated “low intensity treatments” by midwifery and health visiting services, is stressed.
However, whilst the report acknowledges the key roles of voluntary and community sector organisations, their involvement in the proposed new integrated model was not analysed due to data limitations.
Those of us delivering informal, community-based support for pre and post birth women, know how vital our involvement is in this new integrated vision. Some vulnerable women can be wary of professionals or medical settings.
How can the VCS community work with and support this proposal?
Quality perinatal peer support initiatives need to be part of this new integrated vision to help to address existing inequalities in pregnant women's mental health care.
Read the full report: maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/news/new-economic-research-maternal-mental-health
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