Reimagining Perinatal Mental Health Care Models: A Community-Engaged Approach to Develop a Partner-Inclusive, In-Home...

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Mental Health
• Family Systems Intervention
• Community-Engaged Research

Background:

• Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are common pregnancy complications.
• Access to identification and intervention for PMADs is limited, especially for marginalized groups.
• Existing couples-based cognitive behavioral approaches lack integration of community, partner inclusivity, and in-home delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the development and protocol of the New Family Wellness Project (NFWP).
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the NFWP intervention.
• To evaluate the impact of an in-home, partner-inclusive approach on PMAD intervention accessibility.

Main Methods:

• The NFWP is a six-session intervention focusing on shared family values and communication.
• It includes provider check-ins, support groups, homework, and case management.
• Quantitative and qualitative feedback was collected from 22 participants (8 couples, 6 mothers alone).

Main Results:

• Participants reported very high engagement (M = 96/100).
• The in-home and partner-inclusive format was identified as vital for participation.
• The NFWP improved communication, family values reflection, and co-parenting strategies.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the NFWP.
• The community-engaged, cognitive behavioral therapy, couples-based intervention shows promise for PMADs.
• Future research will explore scalability to enhance equitable perinatal mental health interventions.