The PERC Center and Behavioral Health Catalyst recently co-hosted an in-person event to help develop the Washington Thriving Perinatal-through-Age-25 (P-25) Behavioral Health Strategic Plan. Washington Thriving is a collaborative statewide effort to develop a strategic plan for equitable behavioral health for children, youth, young adults, and their families and caregivers. This ambitious process prioritizes collaborative engagement between individuals with lived or living experience and decision makers who will act to make the vision a reality.

Sponsored by the Perigee Fund, this event took place in Tukwila, WA, and attendees included perinatal mental health leaders across the state, and represented provider, payor, policy, patient, and community-based groups. The event also included a presentation from PERC Center Co-Director Amritha Bhat, MBBS, MD, MPH, who spoke about approaches to perinatal mantal health and substance use disorder that are proven to work.

In a recent column for the Seattle Times, Perigee Fund Founder Lisa Mennet, PhD wrote, “When we talk about mental health, we often picture adolescence or adulthood. Rarely do we talk about infant mental health or the emotional well-being of babies and toddlers and their earliest relationships. A baby’s mental health is deeply tied to their caregiver’s. That’s why the path to healing must support both maternal and infant and early childhood mental health, together.” Read Dr. Mennet’s full article in the Seattle Times.

To learn more about the PERC Center’s ongoing work in perinatal mental health and substance use space, contact mcmh@uw.edu.