Memorandum
Date: May 13, 2025
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Elise Jones, Director, Behavioral Health Services
Subject: Adopt Proclamation Designating May 2025 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month
Executive Summary:
DESIGNATING MAY 2025 AS MATERNAL
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN LAKE COUNTY
WHEREAS, Pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period are profound life transitions that can affect every aspect of a person's life-including their mental health. Maternal mental health struggles are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, yet they often go unrecognized and untreated due to stigma, lack of screening, and barriers to care; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men will experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder such as postpartum depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder, making these conditions the most common complication of pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, untreated maternal mental health conditions can have long-term negative impacts on the birthing person, the infant, and the entire family, including disruptions to bonding, development, and family stability; and
WHEREAS, stigma and cultural silence around mental health during pregnancy and postpartum prevent many individuals from seeking help, sometimes suffering in silence for months or years; and
WHEREAS, struggles with mental health can affect any parent, regardless of age, race, or income level; and
WHEREAS, systemic disparities mean that Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color experience higher rates of maternal mental health conditions and face greater barriers to care, including discrimination, lack of access, and underdiagnosis; and
WHEREAS, pregnancy and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders are highly treatable through early screening, timely intervention, and access to culturally responsive and trauma-informed mental health care, which can lead to full recovery and impr...
Click here for full text