Who’s Who in Perinatal Mental Health

As a consumer organisation committed to reducing the impact of perinatal anxiety and depression PANDA has two key roles. The first is providing services, support and information; the second is raising awareness. Central to our services is PANDA’s specialist National Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Helpline managing around 10,000 calls each year.

Our Community Champions and Volunteers, who have experienced perinatal anxiety, depression or psychosis, help us raise awareness across the country. Using real faces and stories we gain extensive coverage in traditional and social media to spread our important message. We also reach out to new mum’s groups, community and health groups to raise awareness.

We have an important role educating health professionals. Using knowledge from our Helpline and from our hundreds of volunteers we advocate to government and health providers for better services and support across Australia.

COPE is a national, not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting women and their families to achieve strong and enduring mental health during pregnancy and the year following birth.

This includes empowering women with timely, relevant information throughout pregnancy and early parenthood through the Ready to COPE Guide, informing and supporting the implementation of best practice through the development of the new Australian National Guideline and online training program, and the development of resources for health professionals and consumers. COPE is also focused on transforming current approaches to screening and referral through innovative digital screening platforms.

To receive supportive emails throughout your pregnancy and first year of motherhood, you can sign up to receive the free Ready to COPE e-guide. You can sign up at any time to receive fortnightly emails filled with insights and strategies that can help you COPE with the range of emotional challenges that can come with having a baby. Sign up today https://www.cope.org.au/readytocope/. It's free and totally confidential.

Gidget Foundation Australia promotes emotional wellbeing for expectant and new parents and raises awareness of perinatal anxiety and depression amongst new mums and dads, their families, health providers and the wider community to ensure those in need receive timely, appropriate and supportive care. The Foundation works collaboratively to support vulnerable parents through its programs including:

• Gidget Emotional Wellbeing Screening Program at hospitals
• Gidget House, providing free face-to-face psychological support (10 counselling sessions) for families experiencing emotional distress during pregnancy and early parenthood
• Start Talking, providing free video call psychological support (10 counselling sessions)
• Education and awareness programs for health professionals and the community
• Advocacy and active memberships of professional networks
• Research and contribution to mainstream and professional publications
• Development and distribution of resources

The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre is an incorporated community based non-government organisation providing support to families in the Australian Capital Territory. Primarily funded by ACT Health, it is staffed by experienced, non-clinical support workers and administration staff.

Their mission is to provide evidence based, innovative early intervention support and information to help families understand their perinatal mental health, normalise their experiences and build resilience. To assist families on their pathway to recovery, work with the community to reduce stigma and benefit the wider society.

Peach Tree is a peer-led organisation supporting and educating new, existing, and expecting parents.

Their mission is to minimise the impact of perinatal mental health issues though understanding, acceptance and education while enhancing self worth.

PIRI is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to tackling perinatal depression, anxiety and their consequences through research and translating evidence into practice.

PIRI has been engaged in perinatal mental health research and working with mothers, fathers and infants to successfully deliver national screening programs and treatment projects, public health initiatives and e-mental health services in close collaboration with key stakeholders.

PIRI has developed interventions using a range of delivery modes (individual, group, telephone, self-help, e-health) and provided training to health professionals including GPs, maternal and child health nurses and psychologists. PIRI is part of Austin Life Sciences and is affiliated with the University of Melbourne. PIRI has developed an international reputation in the identification and treatment of depression and anxiety for new parents and in early intervention.

PIRI also leads the Perinatal Depression e-Consortium (PDeC), in partnership with PANDA, Monash University, Jean Hailes for Women’s Health and Queensland University of Technology. PDeC brings you the MumSpace website which provides a portal through which you can access a range of resources for expecting and new mums affected by perinatal mental illness.