|
Hello California Families!
As many of you know, strengthening California’s perinatal mental health (PMH) workforce has been a core priority in our chapter’s strategic plan. We now have an important opportunity to advance that goal.
On Friday, November 21, 2025, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences will meet to consider whether PMH should be included in pre-or post-licensure education requirements for behavioral health clinicians including LMFTs, LCSWs and LPCs.
We are inviting members who are able to join us either in person or remotely to attend the meeting and offer a two-minute public comment in support of including PMH training in licensure requirements. We welcome your involvement.
The meeting will be held at the California Department of Consumer Affairs in the Lou Galiano Hearing Room, 1625 N. Market Blvd., Sacramento, CA. For those attending in person, please plan to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early to allow time for parking, security check-in, and seating. Public comment typically occurs at the end of the agenda item, and speakers are called forward or recognized by the Board Chair.
If you prefer to join remotely, you may attend through WebEx. The official BBS agenda includes a “Click here to join the meeting” link under the Friday, November 21 section. When you click the link, WebEx will prompt you to enter your name and email. We recommend joining 10 to 15 minutes early to test your audio. When the agenda item opens for public comment, use the Raise Hand function so the moderator can call on you. A call-in phone number is also provided in the agenda if your audio fails and you need a backup option.
The meeting will be open for the public at roughly 9am.
Agenda and WebEx instructions here: https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/agen_notice/2025/20251120_agenda.pdf
If you are planning to attend, please add your name through the following link, so we can provide additional coordination and support: click to sign up. Public comment is limited to two minutes, and we encourage you to speak from your own experience as a clinician, PMH-C, advocate, or anyone who understands the gaps families face when providers lack PMH training. We are available to help you prepare a short statement if needed, email espringer@psicachapter.com for support.
Including basic PMH training in licensure education has long been part of PSI-CA’s mission to ensure families receive informed, responsive, equitable care. Your presence, whether in Sacramento or on WebEx, helps elevate the voices of clinicians who know the realities families face every day. If you have colleagues or community partners who may want to participate, please feel free to share this invitation.
Thank you for all you do for families throughout California. We appreciate your leadership and your continued support of this work.
Sincerely,
Carol Mackay
Board Co-Chair, California Chapter
Chair, Underserved & Special Populations Committee
Postpartum Support International -CA
| 
