Perinatal Therapeutic Services

Program Description

PTS is a program of Maternity Care Coalition (MCC) which provides behavioral health treatment to low income pregnant women and mothers with young children (ages 0 to 3) in the Philadelphia area. The program identifies and treats issues of perinatal depression and/or other behavioral health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety disorders and co-occurring substance dependence. Untreated, these conditions can negatively affect the developing fetus, contribute to poor birth outcomes and impact a mother’s parenting ability. PTS’s impact is multigenerational. Research has demonstrated that follow-through rates for behavioral health treatment for this population is very low, even when services are available in the community. Major barriers to accessing care include shame, feelings of failure, transportation, childcare and other family responsibilities. PTS removes these barriers and increases levels of engagement, participation and efficacy by using a home-based therapy model. MCC is well-positioned to implement this model because of our expertise in home-visiting programs. PTS staff will partner with MCC’s staff of Community Health Workers who will identify and refer clients in need of treatment based on assessment tools and self-report. This warm hand-off by trusted Community Health Workers to a qualified therapist is the foundation on which this program is designed.

Leadership

PTS’s model is easily replicated with high levels of success as it mainly requires incorporating therapist(s) and a supervisory structure into a home-visiting programs’ existing design. MCC leadership is promoting PTS to Medicaid MCO’s who could fund similar programs. Additionally, MCC collaborates with universities on research projects which are published and presented at conferences. MCC staff sit on taskforces and are well represented within the maternal child health community. They meet regularly with policy makers to bring attention to behavioral health issues faced by this population, including OMHSAS and just recently with leaders in the Pennsylvania Office of Medical Assistance Programs and the PA Secretary of Health and Human Services. Merck for Mothers funds an MCC program designed to address issues of maternal mortality and morbidity and is also invested in replicating MCC’s innovative ideas, particularly as they relate to behavioral health, a significant factor in adverse birth outcomes.

Results/Outcomes

PTS will provide psychosocial evaluations to identify clients’ behavioral health issues and therapeutic goals, conduct therapy sessions to address goals and collaborate with home-visiting Community Health Workers to ensure clients’ basic needs are met (e.g. housing, benefits) so they can focus on behavioral health issues. Outcomes #1: 1. Decrease client depression symptoms by at least 50% 2. Pre and post-tests of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale will be administered and recorded. Outcomes #2: 1. Decrease symptoms of trauma by at least 50% 2. Pre and post-tests of the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) will be administered and recorded. Outcomes #3: 1. Prompt identification of social and emotional delays in infants and 100% referral rate to Early Intervention services when identified 2. Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) will be regularly administered. Outcome #4: 1. Improved Parenting knowledge/skills by 70% 2. Pre and post-test parenting assessment survey will be administered and recorded.