Veterans' Maternal Mental Health: Bridging the Gaps in Care-View Presentation

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Video Summary

The American Psychiatric Association webinar on maternal mental health focused on veterans' mental health challenges during pregnancy and postpartum. Experts Adrienne Griffin, Melissa Tran, and Patience Riley shared insights on the high rates of maternal mental health conditions among women veterans, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and the impact of military sexual trauma. Approximately 10,000 veteran women give birth annually, facing risks two to three times higher than civilians. Stigma around mental health in the military, fear of career impact, and difficulties navigating complex VA and civilian healthcare systems pose significant barriers to care.<br /><br />Programs like VA maternity care coordinators and reproductive mental health consultations aim to bridge gaps. Melissa Tran emphasized a wraparound interdisciplinary approach providing holistic services, while Riley highlighted the importance of lived experience and community support. Reintegration into civilian life complicates mental health due to loss of military structure and support systems.<br /><br />Psychiatrists can play a key role by supporting frontline providers via consultation models, facilitating warm handoffs to specialized care, and building collaborative care teams. Future priorities include improving obstetric providers’ mental health training, expanding childcare access, enhancing home visitation programs, and increasing educational outreach to veterans about available resources. The discussion underscored the need for culturally informed, accessible maternal mental health support tailored to military and veteran populations.

Keywords

maternal mental health

veterans

pregnancy

postpartum

military sexual trauma

VA maternity care

interdisciplinary approach

psychiatric consultation

veteran healthcare barriers