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The Perinatal Mental Health Breakthrough Collaborative Series (BTS) adopted the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Breakthrough Collaborative Series model to guide a community of learning focused on implementation and improvement. This model is a structured, time-limited improvement approach that brings together multidisciplinary teams to rapidly test, implement, and scale evidence-based changes.
This work aligns with the DC Department of Health Care Finance’s Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, which emphasizes integrated, patient-centered care and recognizes behavioral health as a key driver of maternal outcomes. By leveraging these models together, the DC PQC aims to create sustainable, system-wide improvements in perinatal mental health care, reducing disparities and ensuring all birthing individuals receive timely, effective, and equitable support.
By September 2026, the District’s Perinatal Mental Health Workgroup will strengthen systems of care for birthing individuals by improving universal screening, patient education, and improve referral pathways to promote early identification, equitable support, and access to perinatal mental health services.
AIM 1: Universal Screening
Expanding universal screening during prenatal and postpartum periods.
AIM 2: Patient Education
Strengthening patient education around emotional wellness and warning signs.
AIM 3: Referral Pathways
Improving timely referral pathways to behavioral health services.
KEY DRIVERS & CHANGE IDEAS
Universal Screening
- Implement universal screening for depression/anxiety for all birthing individuals during the prenatal AND postpartum period.
- Standardize the use of validated screening tools (e.g., EPDS, PHQ-9, GAD-7) by embedding them into clinical workflows and EHR systems to ensure consistent documentation and health information exchange across settings.
- Ensure all staff administering screenings are trained in trauma-informed practices, including how to introduce screening, explain results, and offer warm handoffs.
Patient Education
- Integrate evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate perinatal mental health education materials into routine care touchpoints (e.g., prenatal visits, inpatient discharge, postpartum follow-up).
- Ensure that all educators and clinical staff are trained in verbal education best practices, including empathetic and trauma-informed communication (e.g., AWOHNN, ACOG eModule).
- Implement a tiered follow-up protocol linking screening outcomes and provider judgment to tailored education and referral pathways.
Referral Pathways
- Establish referral workflows that leverage an up-to-date directory (e.g. LinkU) of mental health and social service providers.
- Ensure documentation that postpartum individuals diagnosed with perinatal mental health conditions were referred to treatment.
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Submit the Perinatal Mental Health:
Yolette Gray
Senior Director, Maternal & Child Health Initiatives
ygray@dcha.org
Stephanie Ayala
Program Manager
sayala@dcha.org