Resources & Connections

Advocacy Resources & Other Connections

Below you’ll find some of the organizations I’ve learned about or worked with in my advocacy journey so far. Please reach out if I could help you connect with any of these organizations and/or individuals!

National Organizations

Postpartum Support International: Non-profit organization that raises awareness of perinatal mental health disorders, offers trainings and resources for professionals, and helps people find and connect to appropriate treatment

Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health: Non-profit organization that brings together key stakeholders (payers, providers, policymakers) to drive tangible improvements in maternal mental health care at the system level

Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance: Non-profit advocacy organization focused on driving legislative changes to improve maternal mental health

Chamber of Mothers: Bipartisan non-profit organization that brings moms together to advance maternal rights in the U.S.

Alexis Joy Foundation: Non-profit organization founded in honor of Alexis D’Achille that led to the development of an intensive outpatient program for pregnant and postpartum women in Pittsburg, PA

MoMMAS Voices: Non-profit organization that empowers and equips moms to tell their maternal health stories & helps healthcare organizations find individuals with lived experiences to inform improvement efforts

Sage Therapeutics: Pharmaceutical company that makes Zurzuvae (and formerly Zulresso); fervent advocates for postpartum depression awareness

Minnesota-Specific Organizations

Redleaf Center for Family Healing at Hennepin Healthcare: Direct provision of mental health support for pregnant and postpartum women and their families, including the Mother-Baby partial hospitalization program

Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Minnesota: Minnesota state chapter of PSI; offers local support and connection to resources for moms in MN

Chamber of Mothers – Minnesota Chapter: Minnesota state chapter of CoM, currently focused on building maternal health collective action plan

Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MN PQC): Leads and coordinates quality improvement efforts around maternal health throughout Minnesota

NAMI Minnesota: Local chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness, the leading advocacy group for mental health in the U.S.

The Dr. Mom Foundation: Advocacy related to the intersection between maternal mental health and women in medicine (an at-risk group for PPD)

• Ginna Ericksen – my mom, my hero, and my side-kick in all things maternal mental health advocacy related
• Taylor Garmaker, CPD, CLS – maternal mental health advocate, postpartum doula, and lactation specialist in Minnesota & my former peer support mentor who walked alongside me during my journey
• Melissa Treff, PsyD, PMH-C – perinatal psychologist & maternal mental health advocate in Minnesota
• Nancy Goh Kelly – maternal mental health advocate in Minnesota (website link)
• Annie Sterle – AFE survivor & maternal health advocate in Minnesota who co-produced the documentary 24 Days Without You
• Hamdi Abdi, PhD, MPH – advocate for postpartum care following stillbirth
• Jess Prchal – TTTS survivor & maternal mental health advocate in Minnesota
• Kate Littlefield, LCMHC – maternal mental health advocate & founder of Through to Thrive
• Clair Williams-Vavra – maternal mental health advocate & founder of held
• Mollie Barnathan, MPH – maternal mental health advocate & founder of North Light Newborns
• Marianna Kerppola – maternal mental health advocate & founder of Moment for Parents
• Maddie Moss – maternal mental health advocate & founder of Maternal Sunshine