HQI Announces Perinatal Mental Health Initiative
In February 2020, HQI will launch a perinatal mental health (PMH) initiative aimed at continuing the strides California hospitals have made in improving maternity care. The initiative will help hospital perinatal staff understand, recognize, and effectively respond to mental health issues in the perinatal period. It will also help hospitals comply with a new law — Assembly Bill 3032 (Chapter 773, Statutes of 2018) — that, effective Jan. 1, will require hospitals to educate perinatal employees about maternal mental health conditions and inform postpartum women and families about the signs and symptoms of maternal mental health disorders, local post-hospital treatment options, and community resources. The initiative is funded through a grant from the California Health Care Foundation.