About This Webinar:
Parental mental health during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and the early years of parenthood can have critical long-term effects on expectant mothers, their babies, and their family as a whole. Supporting the well-being of mothers directly impacts the well-being of their babies and families. This webinar provides an in-depth discussion of perinatal mental health, including postpartum depression (PPD), anxiety, and other mood disorders experienced during pregnancy and the first year after giving birth, and the unique experiences among military families.
Throughout this webinar, presenters discuss how providers can broach the topic of mental health with parents, the importance of early identification, and how to support military families in seeking help. Join this session as we highlight ways to reduce the stigma associated with maternal and paternal mental health and promote a supportive culture in the military community.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Define perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) that may be experienced during pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood, including signs, symptoms, and treatment options
- Explore unique vulnerability factors and symptoms of maternal and paternal depression and anxiety in military families.
- Discuss preventive strategies families and providers can use to support maternal/parental mental health.
- Identify resources and practical steps to address mental health concerns for military families.
*This webinar is Part 2 of Supporting Maternal Mental Health and Well-being with experts from Zero to Three. Watch Part 1 on the event page, Navigating Early Parenthood and Military Life.
Presenters
Summer Jones is a Senior Writer and Training
She is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor, Policy. She is an experienced home visitor, supervising and managing a counseling program that provided in-home mental health services and parent education to mothers who are screened as at-risk for depression. She has also provided programmatic and technical support to states, territories, tribes, and communities implementing federally-funded grants and programs supporting early childhood development, mental health, well-being, and education.
Jennifer Novak is the Senior Writer/Training Specialist for Military Family Projects at ZERO TO THREE. She has a specialty focus on the needs of children and families impacted by trauma and applies a trauma-informed lens in creating these tools. She provides training and technical assistance to professionals and develops evidence-based resources designed to support military families with young children.
As a former military spouse for ten years, she brings personal experience and knowledge of the issues surrounding military and veteran families to her work. She holds a Master’s Degree from Florida State University in Social Work, and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Florida in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. She also holds an LMSW in the State of Maryland and provides part-time mental health counseling services to children and adults.
Continuing Education (CE) Credit
The following CE credits will be submitted for this session:
- Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: Programming approval for 1.5 CE credits has been obtained for Social Work, LPCs, and LMFTs from the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. **Note: Eligibility for CE credit expires on October 12, 2025.
- Case Managers: Case Management Continuing Education Credits from the Commission for Case Manager Certification are no longer available for this webinar. However, please click the button above to complete an evaluation to give us your feedback.
- Certified Family Life Educators: This program is approved by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) for 1.5 CE credits for CFLEs. **Note: Eligibility for CE credit expires on October 12, 2028.
- Board Certified Patient Advocates: This program has been approved by The Patient Advocate Certification Board to provide CE credit to Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA). The course has been approved for a total of 1.5 CE contact hours, of which 0.0 are in the area of Ethics. **Note: Eligibility for CE credit expires on October 12, 2025.
- Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This course is approved for 1.5 CE credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) for CFCS. **Note: Eligibility for CE credit expires on October 12, 2028.
- Early Interventionists: This webinar offers CE credits through the Early Intervention Training Program (EITP) at the University of Illinois through 12/31/24.
- Early Childhood Care and Education: This is a Gateways to Opportunity Registry-approved Training for early care and education professionals in Illinois through 12/31/24.
- OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in documenting additional professional development activities.
Event Materials
Cover Image: Photo by Antoni Shkraba from Pexels
