Vermont Child Health Improvement Program

Goal

The program’s overarching goal is to improve the mental health and well-being of pregnant and postpartum people and, thereby, their infants’ social and emotional development, through increased access to appropriate treatment and recovery support services.  The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to carry out this program in Vermont. 

Purpose

To establish, improve or maintain programs that expand health care providers’ capacity to screen, assess, treat and refer pregnant andpostpartum people for perinatal depression and related behavioral health disorders including in rural and medically underserved areas.

VCHIP Efforts

VCHIP Efforts:  Increase the capacity of Vermont’s health care providers to educate, screen, diagnose, prevent and treat perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders.

Statewide Efforts

VDH collaborates with the Department of Mental Health, Help Me Grow Vermont, designated mental health agencies, parent child centers, the University of Vermont’s Medical Center’s Obstetrics, community hospitals, nurse home visiting programs and other community stakeholders.

Accomplishments

• Increased capacity of Vermont’s mental health system to diagnose, and treat perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders through education and training.
• Increased capacity of the human service workforce to screen and support people at-risk for perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders through education and training.
• Maintained and increased capacity for medical provider consultation from the Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Consultation Service at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
• Vermonters have access to comprehensive perinatal depression and educational information and support and treatment options through a public awareness campaign.
• Up-to-date, real-time referral resources at the community level are provided by Help Me Grow Vermont.

Resources

Factoring in Fathers - The Changing Face of Paternal Perinatal Mental Health Webinar

Recording | Slides

Vermont Department of Health-Support Delivered

Perinatal Psychiatric Consultation Service for Vermont Medical Providers

HelpMeGrowVermont connects expecting and new families to mental health clinicians with specialized expertise in treating PMADs and other community services. Providers working with pregnant individuals and families who are experiencing PMADs can also make a direct referral by completing an online referral form. Or, you can:

Call 211, option 6

Text HMGVT to 898211

Email info@helpmegrowvt.org

GET HELP NOW

Call or text 24/7 1-833-943-5746 National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

Call or text during business hours 1-800-944-4773  Postpartum Support International HelpLine

In An Emergency

Call 988  Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Text HOME to 741741 National Crisis Text Line