To Colorado moms, birthers, families, and the providers and community partners who serve them–
Welcome to the Colorado Perinatal Mental Health Project.
We’re so happy you’re here! We are an inclusive community of moms, families, and providers committed to working toward a state where every mother, birther, and family has access to affordable mental health support in the period surrounding the birth of a child.
The Colorado Perinatal Mental Health Project (CO PMHP) is the culmination of years of dedicated work to support the perinatal community and is an extension of the Colorado Chapter of Postpartum Support International (CO-PSI). For nearly two decades, a group of committed and passionate mothers, fathers, clinicians, and providers have been working in alignment with PSI here in Colorado, as collaborators and CO-PSI Board members, connecting mothers, birthers, and their families and support systems to PSI’s resources and perinatal providers to PSI’s trainings and certifications. We are deeply grateful to the vision, hard work, and dedication of the individuals whose efforts have made CO-PSI’s work possible, including everyone who has served on the CO-PSI Board of Directors.
Over the past three years, this work has grown substantially. In 2022, we launched The Birth Squad Denver, a program offering several types of support groups in the Denver area including affinity support group spaces for Black and Latino/a moms and birthing people in English and Spanish. We secured grant funding to distribute over $100,000 in scholarships for perinatal providers and professionals. We launched programming including our Resource Roundtables and the Colorado Alliance for Professionals of Color. We have partnered with numerous local Colorado organizations on trainings and events for professionals and parents alike. Our team has grown from zero to seven paid staff members.
Recently, CO-PSI had the opportunity to become an Incorporated Chapter of Postpartum Support International. What does this mean? We have launched The Colorado Perinatal Mental Health Project (CO PMHP), a new organization that encompasses the work of the Colorado Chapter of PSI, but has room to grow and shift according to the unique needs of our Colorado community. This work will only continue and grow under the umbrella of CO PMHP!
This is an exciting step in our growth and evolution as an organization. We are thrilled to be deepening our roots here in Colorado. As a Colorado-based organization, we have more opportunity to be responsive to perinatal mental health needs right here in Colorado.
The Colorado Perinatal Mental Health Project will house the Colorado Chapter of Postpartum Support International and its work as a core program, meaning that all the work we are already doing will continue under this new entity. Our Board of Directors and our team remain the same.
We are honored to introduce ourselves as the co-founders and co-executive directors of CO PMHP. Kristin Aaker has been serving as Chapter Director of CO-PSI since June 2021. Under her leadership, the chapter has formalized and grown substantially. Dr. Patrece Hairston Peetz is the visionary behind The Birth Squad and is the founder of the Colorado Chapter of the Perinatal Mental Health Professionals of Color Alliance. After 5 years of board service, Patrece transitioned to a staff position directing The Birth Squad in June 2022. We are excited to move into this new phase as co-directors and partners in this work.
We are grateful to our board, team, donors, community partners, and Postpartum Support International for making this transition possible. We urge you to reach out to us with any questions or ideas in the coming month. We look forward to continuing into this next phase with our Colorado community alongside us.
In collaboration and community,
Kristin Aaker & Dr. Patrece Hairston Peetz
Co-Founders & Co-Executive Directors
The Colorado Perinatal Mental Health Project
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