E-Alert {View Online}

8/31/26

Save the Date! Join Mind the Gap’s September Coalition Meeting

Dear Colleagues,

Mark your calendars to join the Mind the Gap Coalition for a special roundtable discussion on “Strengthening and Investing in Crisis Service Infrastructure for Perinatal Mental Health” on September 17 from 3-4 p.m. ET. 

The broader Mind the Gap community is invited to join national Coalition members for this timely conversation on policy priorities and legislative action to advance maternal health and maternal mental health. Here is the Zoom link. Please save it to your calendar.

We are excited to announce our roundtable speakers for this conversation: 

• Adrienne Griffen, MPP, Executive Director, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA)

• Nicole Gibson, Senior Director of State Policy & Advocacy, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) 

• John Palmieri, MD, MHA, Crisis System Transformation Consultant, Former SAMHSA Deputy Director, 988 & Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office 



• Shirley Payne, Director of the Division of State and Community Health, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

This is a unique opportunity to join the conversation and hear from experts on how our current crisis service infrastructure addresses the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum people experiencing a mental health crisis, and where greater investment, coordination, and action are needed.

This panel discussion is part of our continued work to advance the coalition partners’ policies which are central to our comprehensive 2026 Unified Policy Agenda (UPA) while integrating the National Strategy to improve MMH into the UPA as we marry policy with practice and lived experience.

With appreciation,

The Mind the Gap Team

Wendy Davis · Nima Sheth · Colleen Reilly · Maddie Weyman