IN THIS NEWSLETTER:​

• Expanded support to more communities
• Parent Resilience Program accepting referrals
• Register for our new support group for dads
• Volunteer Spotlight -Shannon Sandeno, Warm Line
• Self-care tips and resources from PS-WA staff
• Please support our holiday fundraiser

In partnership with the Department of Children Youth and Family Services (DCYF), PS-WA now supports 11 communities across the state who are working on a Perinatal Mental Health Initiative for capacity building. This year, three communities have been funded for the first time: San Juan County, Kittitas County, and Stevens/ Ferry Counties. These communities are starting their task forces, launching peer support groups, and working to expand knowledge and resources to families. Read detailed updates by county below, along with other updates on the Parent Resilience Program (PERC) and a new support group.

San Juan Island Perinatal Mental Health Task Force goals are:

• Increase community awareness about perinatal mental health (PMH) issues.
• Create a comprehensive local PMH resource guide.
• Provide 1:1 and group support for families experiencing PMH issues.
• Increase collaboration among community-based organizations and providers to better serve perinatal families.

In Kittitas County, the task force is working to find ways to provide easy, equitable access to social support and PMH care for Kittitas County families. Additional goals will be determined during the first few task force meetings.

Stevens/Ferry Counties will be supporting rural communities by building the capacity of trained professionals in mental health, hosting support groups and trainings, and creating their community resource and referral guide. 

If you are interested in learning more about task force meetings or the work in these communities, please visit: perinatalsupport.org/collaboration or email Karina Saunders, Community Outreach & Training Manager at  karina.saunders@perinatalsupport.org

In Skagit County, our Parent Resilience Program is continuing to provide peer support to parents in the perinatal period and will begin offering support in Spanish to Latinx families later in December! Referrals and community connections for Skagit are welcomed.

In King County, our Parent Resilience Program enters a third year of providing culturally-matched peer perinatal support to Latinx and African American/Black families and celebrates the expansion of our services to include Indigenous parents in partnership with Hummingbird Indigenous Families Services  in January 2024. 

We have a new support group for dads! Join other self-identifying dads and fathers-to-be in this online support group, hosted by Warm Line Dad Specialist, Nathan Friend. If you are a father who is feeling angry, sad, confused, trapped or wish you could do more or make things better for your family, you will find a supportive community to help. Click HERE for more information and to register.

The Parent Support Warm Line is often our entry point to all of the services we offer. The Warm Line is answered by staff and volunteers who share life experiences with our callers. By providing peer support, no caller ever feels alone or misunderstood.

We wanted to highlight the personal experiences of a long-time volunteer, Shannon Sandeno, including what led her to the Warm Line and what she wants other parents to know. 

"It’s very rewarding to know I’m helping someone who is going through challenges like I  was after my daughter was born. It can be a very isolating and lonely time when you’re  experiencing postpartum challenges and it’s really hard to reach out. I feel honored that  parents let me into their life and that I can give back by connecting to and supporting them."

To read the full interview click the button below, and if you would like to volunteer, please reach out to Victoria, our Senior Warm Line Program Manager, at Victoria.Cherniak@perinatalsupport.org

Our Warm Line and other PS-WA programs are underwritten by donations from individuals like you. Please support our work today!

Our staff would like to share some tips and tricks that get them through this stressful time of year.  

The holiday season comes with its own set of stressors and expectations, both internally and externally. Being overwhelmed by these holiday-related stressors can lead to symptoms of depression. Here are some tips and resources.

• This account has helped me: "Overdrive is overrated. It often leaves one stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Why would you want that for yourself? Why would you do that to yourself? I invite you to take a look at your calendar/to do list, and see how many things you can just...not do."⁠ From @_thegreatexhale_
• The days are short, so when the sun does come out, I try to prioritize getting outside for walks. I like to make my own holiday wreath each year, which gives me extra motivation to get out to the woods to harvest materials for my project.
• There are so many obligations around the holidays, and I decided to take back some of my power around them in the past few years. For example, my family does a gift exchange that actually really stresses me out, so last year, I just let folks know I wouldn't be participating. It ruffled some feathers, but it felt really clear that it was the best choice for me, and now it's just not an issue anymore!
• Remember what brings you joy - getting outside (maybe instead of shopping at a mall if that is stressful), lighting candles, having intention around what is an obligation that might drain your energy vs what fuels your mental health, and then setting those boundaries.

To get emotional support from a peer, please call or text our Parent Support Warm Line at: 1-888-404-7763, or, if you are in crisis, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at: 988.

It's the time of year again to reflect on what matters most, when people all around the world are celebrating the warmth that giving brings. Yet, the holidays are not always jolly. Symptoms of depression tend to increase in the holiday season, and we are already facing a crisis wherein 1 in 5 birthing parents are facing the heartbreaking struggle of perinatal mental health challenges. We hope you will consider a gift this holiday season to support parents and their families who need emotional support during the perinatal period, one of life's most challenging times. We work quickly to address mental health issues, and we couldn't do it without you. Thank you for all the ways you support us by sharing, teaching, donating, caring for others, volunteering, and more!

WARM LINE: 1-888-404-7763 (PPMD), Se habla español

Support, Education, Referral