Perinatal mental health conditions affect at least one in five birthing people, spanning depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and postpartum psychosis. Yet 75% of those who screen positive never receive treatment.

Sarah opened with the story of a mother named Karen, who was turned away, given misinformation, or told to wait months by her primary care doctor, her OB, and multiple psychiatrists… all while her condition worsened.

The stakes in Wisconsin are clear. Mental health conditions account for 38% of all pregnancy-related deaths in the state, most occurring 6–9 months postpartum. That’s well beyond the point when most people have stopped seeing their OB. Up to 40% of Black and Latina mothers experience postpartum depression, twice the rate of white counterparts, and Black women are half as likely to receive treatment.

Session highlights:

• What perinatal mental health conditions look like, who is most at risk, and why they are difficult to recognize from the inside
• How these conditions meet the definition of disability, and the cost of inaction
• Wisconsin’s passage of 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension: what it makes possible and what gaps remain, including provider shortages, lack of coverage for doula and peer support, and systemic inequities
• What’s still needed: expanded screening, decriminalization of substance use disorders, investment in community-based organizations, and a more culturally responsive workforce

Karen’s story ended differently because a peer connection led her to MMHI, which connected her to a provider the next day. Within a week, she was improving. That’s the model MMHI is building across southeastern Wisconsin and Dane County.

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