May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Access to mental health support and resources is critically important for families who find themselves in the NICU and PICU. Parents whose children are admitted to the NICU or PICU have a 45-50% greater incidence of mental health disorders such as PTSD, Anxiety & Depression. There also remains significant inequity for non-white families in the NICU, and non-preemie families in the NICU in their overall experience leading to feeling disconnected from support.
Families need to be connected to both peer-to-peer support AND mental health support.
- Peer-to-Peer support has been clinically shown to decrease the impact of trauma parents experience in the NICU. By connecting with others in the same situation, families can feel empowered through storytelling and gain a community to lean into.
- Mental health support provided by a counselor or provider that specializes in trauma can help families get the clinical support they need and have better access to the full range of treatment options for mental health diagnoses that are common from HIE and other traumatic situations.
Babies cannot raise themselves. We need healthy parents and caregivers mentally, spiritually and physically, in order to help babies reach their unique potential.
FOR PROVIDERS
We strongly believe that every provider should be trained in the principles of providing trauma-informed care. There are many training resources available through the
National Perinatal Association,
SAMHSA and
NAPSW.
FOR FAMILIES
There are many resources to access mental health support for your journey. We strongly believe each HIE family member should be in touch with mental health support. We recommend working with your NICU social worker, or other community connector, to find out what local mental health support may be available to you, with or without insurance, and when sourcing a provider, to look for someone specifically trained in trauma support.
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!
