Perinatal Mental Health

My commitment to this issue is deeply personal as a postpartum psychosis survivor. In 2016, despite having excellent healthcare and a strong education, my risk factors weren’t screened and my providers weren’t trained to recognize the signs when I went without sleep for days after childbirth. At a leading hospital, I fell through the cracks of the perinatal health system with a traumatic experience that took years to heal from, with no follow-up support from my health insurance. While I’m deeply privileged, my experience highlights a systemic failure affecting all birthing people, especially Black and marginalized communities. That’s why I joined the Board of Maternal Mental Health NOW and became a California Fellow with the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health—to ensure no one else faces what I did.