As we enter the new year, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the unique and powerful connection between mother and baby. This connection or early relationship is foundational to the health of a family. It shapes the emotional and physical well-being of both mother and child, especially in the critical early stages of life.

However, the mental health of the mother, life stressors, and societal pressures can test the strength of this connection. Recent research highlights the critical intersection between maternal depression and the mental health risks faced by children, and again demonstrates that adversity in the early years can have lasting effects. This underscores why it is so important that we, as a community, prioritize and advocate for better support systems that nurture this bond.

The power of connection — among mothers, families, and the professionals who support them — is transformative. As we move into this new year, it’s more important than ever that we, as a community, continue to collaborate, learn from one another, and advocate for better support systems for mothers and their children. It’s easy to feel isolated in this work, but by building a network of professionals dedicated to advancing maternal and infant health, we amplify our collective impact and improve outcomes for families.

Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned advocate, let’s share insights, strategies, and resources as we work together to create a more supportive environment for mothers and their children. Let’s connect on LinkedIn here, I’d love to hear from you!

Marta Galecki, M.D.

Consulting Psychiatrist

Jessica Showalter, LLMSW

Behavioral Health Consultant

We're pleased to announce another Quality Improvement project will be available in 2025 for Maintenance of Certification Part IV (MOC-IV) and CME credits for board certified D.O.s, M.D.s and licensed P.A.s.

In 2024, 95 providers participated in our inaugural MOC-IV offering focused on Youth Suicide Prevention. The project led to increased adolescent suicide screening rates, improved provider comfort with risk assessment and safety planning, and enhanced follow-up care for at-risk adolescents.

Our 2025 initiative offers prescribers an opportunity to earn credits while making an impact in patient care practices. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!

New MC3 research publication analyzes mental health access for young children in Michigan

Feb. 18, 7–8:30 p.m. ET

Experts will share best practices for caring for birthing people with substance use disorders as well as practical advice for community members who wish to better support loved ones who are experiencing addiction during their pregnancy.

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline offers free confidential mental health services 24/7 to mothers via text or call at 1-833-TLC-MAMA. In November 2024, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness of the hotline. This awareness campaign is part of broader efforts to improve maternal mental health and reduce maternal mortality.

Providers working directly with perinatal patients or families are encouraged to spread the word about this hotline and share additional information on the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline website.

To better understand prenatal care delivery in Michigan, Obstetrics Initiative (OBI) is developing a MOM MAP, or Multisite Opportunities for Michigan: Maternal Health Assets in Prenatal Care. This is the first comprehensive report on prenatal social needs practices in Michigan. This work is supported by a grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CQIO reserve fund.

OBI wants to hear from you!

Clinicians and administrators engaged in outpatient prenatal care delivery in Michigan can contact Briaa Baldwin, MPH, MOM MAP and PHE Project Intermediate Manager, at bkrobins@med.umich.edu to learn more about how to participate in this report.

Maria Muzik, M.D., M. Sc., left, attending the 24th World Congress of Psychiatry in Mexico City, November 2024

L-R: Outreach staff members Laura Ward and Jessica Jenkins at the Michigan Medicine Dept. of Family Medicine’s Annual Primary Health Care of Women Conference in Ann Arbor, December 2024

Rena Menke, Ph.D., Lead Perinatal Behavioral Health Consultant for MC3, presenting a poster at the Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation, co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health and AcademyHealth in Arlington, VA, December 2024

Sandra Bitonti Stewart, Perinatal Director of Strategy for MC3, standing second from right, participating in the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Conference in Denver, CO, December 2024

L-R: Jessica Jenkins, Outreach Manager, and Rena Menke, Ph.D., Lead Perinatal Behavioral Health Consultant, at the International Institute of Yoga Therapy's Symposium on Clinical Applications of Yoga in Southfield, MI, January 2025. Jessica exhibited at the event while both Dr. Menke and Dr. Maria Muzik, MC3 Perinatal Medical Director, were keynote speakers.

Outreach Specialist Laura Ward at the Meridian Doula and MIHP Workshop in Detroit, January 2025