First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and statewide leaders convene to address perinatal mental health crisis

What you need to know: Mental health during and after pregnancy shapes outcomes not only for mothers, but for infants, families, and communities across generations. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom alongside statewide leaders brings awareness to this issue through a roundtable conversation in order to strengthen maternal mental health services.

MOUNTAIN VIEW - First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom convened with statewide leaders at El Camino Health to strengthen the current landscape of maternal mental health services, more specifically perinatal wellness, which encompasses care during and up to two years after childbirth.

Sometimes the hardest part of becoming a new parent is how invisible and isolating it can feel. The perinatal mental health crisis is both deeply urgent and preventable. This is a moment for alignment and leadership across all sectors in California and beyond - when we lead with care and compassion, we can ensure every parent feels seen and cared for during these periods of intense transition before and after welcoming a child.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

"Perinatal mental health is foundational to the well-being of families, communities, and future generations," said California Surgeon General, Dr. Diana Ramos. "When a mother is struggling, it signals an opportunity to strengthen coordination across care systems and community support. By working together, we can ensure mothers receive the support they need, setting families and communities on a healthier, more stable path."

This conversation, facilitated by the California Perinatal Wellness Alliance, comes at a time when perinatal mental health affects 1 in 3 California women during pregnancy and in the first two years after birth. The majority of these women do not receive treatment - demonstrating urgency on addressing the matter and advocating for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth experience for California families.

"Perinatal mental health is a preventable public health crisis-and too many families continue to suffer in silence or fall through the cracks," said Cassie Manjikian, Founding Director of California Perinatal Wellness Alliance. "We know what works, and those solutions already exist. Now is the time to turn awareness into action-because every system, every provider, and every one of us has a role to play in ensuring families get the care they need."

El Camino Health is 1 of only 5 perinatal inpatient psychiatric units in the entire country - underscoring California's commitment to maternal health care yet revealing the limited resources available for mothers nationwide.

"Perinatal mental health is one of the most urgent and solvable challenges in health care today," said Dan Woods, CEO of El Camino Health. "At El Camino Health, we've seen what's possible when systems are designed to support families-but we've also seen the gaps. This meeting is about bringing leaders together to close those gaps and build a more connected, effective system of care across California."

As California continues to make meaningful progress on addressing this preventable problem, there are opportunities ranging from timely screenings to building partnerships with local communities that will create solutions to bridge the gaps in maternal mental health. This convening underscored the collaborative efforts across sectors to advance an equitable maternal care system for the Golden State and beyond.

California sets the standard

Governor Newsom, in partnership with the Legislature, continues to set the standard in improving access to perinatal mental health services. Over the last few years, California has achieved the lowest maternal mortality rate in the country. This is a result of California's investment in maternal health, yet the work continues for California families.

Governor Newsom signed AB 2319 (Wilson, 2024), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at reducing disparities in maternal and infant healthcare outcomes by expanding and strengthening implicit bias training for healthcare providers in California.

Also, in September 2024, Governor Newsom proclaimed Strong Start and Beyond Day as the California Surgeon-General launched Strong Start and Beyond, an initiative to reduce California's maternal mortality by 50% by December 2026. This also includes a California Maternal Health Blueprint to raise awareness of the maternal health crisis and leading causes of pregnancy related death.

In March 2024, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launched the Birthing Care Pathway, a comprehensive policy and care model roadmap to cover the journey of all pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members from conception through 12 months postpartum. The Birthing Care Pathway is being developed to be a strategic roadmap for state entities, managed care plans, counties, providers, social service entities, philanthropy, and other key partners in providing services to pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members.

Governor Newsom also signed SB 65 (Skinner, 2021), the California Momnibus Act, designed to improve maternal and infant outcomes - particularly for families of color. Soon after in 2022, California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) received $1M to implement Midwifery Workforce Training Act aimed at expanding the midwifery workforce and addressing the racial disparities in maternal and fetal health outcomes. With only 1,400 perinatal mental health-certified professionals across the state, the Song-Brown midwifery programs aim to create new Certified Nurse Midwifery and Licensed Midwifery training programs. The Song-Brown midwifery program is also expanding existing programs that focus on training a diverse workforce in underserved communities.