Educating Providers - The Key to Perinatal Mental Health with Kelly O'Connor

The biggest challenge in perinatal mental health is that providers aren't trained to recognize it.

Kelly O'Connor, Executive Director of Maternal Mental Health NOW, shares how one mother's dismissed symptoms sparked an 18-year mission to transform perinatal mental healthcare. From training OB-GYNs to children's librarians, the organization has worked to close the provider knowledge gap that leaves too many families struggling in silence.

Topics Covered: Why "postpartum depression" is actually a range of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. How provider training changes outcomes for entire families. California's groundbreaking legislation requiring provider education. Why a simple "How are you doing?" can be life-changing.

Founded in 2007, Maternal Mental Health NOW transforms perinatal mental healthcare by training providers, supporting families, and advocating for policy change across Los Angeles County. Their mission is to ensure all new and expectant parents have access to culturally responsive mental health support.
Learn more at https://maternalmentalhealthnow.org/

The Impact: Untreated perinatal mental health conditions don't just affect parents— they impact bonding, child development, family stability, and multi-generational outcomes. But when providers are equipped to recognize and respond, early intervention becomes possible.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
2:58 - The Founding Story: When Care Failed
4:36 - Lack of Informed Providers: The Number One Barrier
6:28 - Kelly's Personal Journey into This Work
8:43 - Misconceptions About Perinatal Mental Health
9:13 - Beyond "Postpartum Depression": Understanding the Full Spectrum
10:14 - How Common Is It Really? The 1 in 5 Statistic
10:45 - Why the Stigma Exists: Social Media vs. Reality
11:19 - Provider Fear and Lack of Resources
17:24 - The Training Work: From OB-GYNs to Librarians
19:09 - Integrating Care into Primary Settings
20:50 - Home Visitors vs. Clinical Settings: Screening Rate Comparison
24:03 - Whose Responsibility Is Screening?
25:00 - The Power of "How Are You Doing?"
26:09 - A Pediatrician's Question That Changed Everything
26:38 - Advice for Providers Watching This
26:59 - California's Groundbreaking Legislation (AB 2193 & AB 3032)
29:15 - The Accountability Gap in Current Laws
31:15 - Multi-Generational Impact of Untreated Conditions
33:45 - Social Media's Role in Unrealistic Expectations
37:27 - Success Story: The Power of Storytelling
41:01 - How to Support This Work

Interview Recorded On: March 20, 2026

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YouTube Tags (under 500 characters):
perinatal mental health, postpartum depression, provider education, maternal mental health, healthcare training, OB-GYN training, perinatal anxiety, mental health advocacy, postpartum support, pregnancy mental health, provider screening, community health, California healthcare, maternal health policy, perinatal care, mental health stigma, healthcare professionals, clinical training, home visiting programs