Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders: Assessment and Treatment Strategies

DESCRIPTION

The incidence of Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders ranges from 12 – 20% during the ante natal and postnatal period.  The untold suffering and incalculable costs of untreated perinatal mood disorders had previously escaped formal assessment, detection and treatment in the United States.

Current legislation, however,  in NY and NJ mandates provider/agency offered education of new mothers and in some cases screening prior to discharge from birthing facilities.  As social workers are increasingly tasked with assessment and discharge planning in maternity units or clinical assessment/screening/treatment in agencies or private practice, it is essential that they become familiar with these highly treatable disorders.

PRESENTER

Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW is an award winning therapist, author, and nationally recognized mental health expert. Ms. Stone was the president of Postpartum Support International (PSI), and currently sits on PSI’s Advisory Council.  She is a an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Silver School of Social Work, New York University.

Ms. Stone was a contributor to the NJ Governor’s Task Force Educational Webinar on postpartum depression and is a frequent author and cited resource on the topic of perinatal mental health; her co-edited book, Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders: Perspectives and Treatment Guide for the Healthcare Practitioner (Stone & Menken, eds, Springer, 2008), has been adopted by medical and psychiatric professional education programs around the world. While working at Hackensack University Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry, she helped form and facilitate the Postpartum Psychotherapy program which helped assess, identify and treat women at risk or diagnosed with perinatal mood disorders.

Ms. Stone is a NJHSS Certified Perinatal Mood Disorders Instructor and regularly presents on women’s reproductive mental health issues at educational conferences and universities, seminars and in the media.  Her national television appearances have included the CBS Early Show, ABC News, NJN News, NBC News, The New Morning Show (Hallmark), A Place of Our Own (PBS), the Morning Show (FOX) and many others.

At the invitation of congressional leaders, including U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and IL Congressman Bobby L. Rush, she has presented at Capitol Hill Press Conferences with co-advocates Brooke Shields, NJ First Lady Mary Jo Codey and other notable advocates for PPD. Her work was pivotal in including maternal mental health coverage in the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act.

For more information and to register for the event, please click here. 6.5 contact hours are available for NYS, NJ and CT Licensed Social Workers. Licensed Social Workers for other states, please refer to your state licensing agency and email swope@columbia.edu. This event is also open to the public.