Name
Building an Integrated Perinatal Mental Health Clinic in an OBGYN Residency Practice: Lessons from a Maternal Health Innovation Grant
Description

Mental health conditions are among the most common complications and a leading cause of maternal mortality during the perinatal period, yet many obstetric clinics lack integrated behavioral health services to address these needs. This session describes the development and early implementation of an integrated perinatal mental health clinic, supported by a maternal health innovation grant, embedded within an academic OBGYN residency practice in St. Louis, Missouri. The clinic is comprised of an interdisciplinary care team comprised of an OBGYN, Medical Family Therapist, Clinical Pharmacist, Nursing, Social Work, Community Health Workers in order to provide patient centered care that includes psychotherapy, psychopharmacological treatment, consultation, and care coordination for patients experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, trauma histories, and social determinants of health challenges. Additionally, the clinic serves as bridge to perinatal psychiatric care; utilizing internal and community resources. Presenters will share early clinical outcomes, discuss interdisciplinary collaboration, workflow integration, and strategies for addressing barriers to care in maternal health settings. Attendees will leave with practical lessons for implementing integrated behavioral health services within obstetric practices serving diverse and underserved populations.

Co-Authors
Alicia Forinash Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS, BCACP Professor of Pharmacy Practice St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Maternal Fetal Care Center at SSM Health St. Mary’s
Elena Jenkins BSN RN RN Program Coordinator | Missouri Collaboration for Clinical Community Integration In Maternal Health – MOC3 SSM Health St. Louis – Women’s Services -
Dixie Meyer, PhD, LPC; Professor, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Family and Community Medicine, Medical Family Therapy MOMs Clinic, Director
Content Level
Intermediate
Tags
Innovations, Social determinants of health or SDoH, Team-based care
Session Type
Concurrent
Objective 1
Describe key components of an integrated behavioral health model adapted for perinatal mental health care in obstetric care settings.
Objective 2
Identify practical strategies for integrating behavioral health providers into OBGYN clinical workflows, including screening, referral, and care coordination processes.
Objective 3
Discuss common implementation challenges and solutions when developing collaborative perinatal mental health services in clinical settings.
Content Reference 1

ACOG Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines–Obstetrics, Emily S. Miller, M. M., Torri Metz, M. M., Tiffany A. Moore Simas, M. M. Me., & M. Camille Hoffman, M. Ms. (2023). Treatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Content Reference 2

Miller, E. S., Jensen, R., Hoffman, M. C., Osborne, L. M., McEvoy, K., Grote, N., & Moses-Kolko, E. L. (2020). Implementation of perinatal collaborative care: A health services approach to perinatal depression care. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423620000110

Content Reference 3

Daw, J. R., MacCallum-Bridges, C. L., & Admon, L. K. (2025). Trends and Disparities in Maternal Self-Reported Mental and Physical Health. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.1260

Content Reference 4

Moore Simas, T. A., Hoffman, M. C., Miller, E. S., Metz, T., Byatt, N., & Roussos-Ross, K. (2023). Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions during Pregnancy and Postpartum: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 141(6), 1232–1261.

Content Reference 5

Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from maternal mortality review committees in 36 U.S. states, 2017–2019. (2024, May 28). Maternal Mortality Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/php/data-research/mmrc-2017-2019.html