GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT

Shades of Motherhood Network

Strengthening Community Support for Black Maternal Mental Health

Perigee Fund had the great pleasure of speaking with Shades of Motherhood Network Executive Director Stephaine Courtney about the important work the organization is doing to fill critical gaps in maternal mental health support for Black families in Eastern Washington.

Courtney founded Shades of Motherhood after going through her own difficult fertility journey. Unsure of where to turn, she learned about the work of doulas in supporting families through pregnancy and postpartum, as well as those dealing with infertility. She also learned more about the harmful —often fatal— treatment that Black birthing people face, as their pain and concerns are too often dismissed by a biased healthcare system.

Shades of Motherhood Network is actively promoting collaboration between community organizations and traditional healthcare providers to ensure Black women are seen and heard, and that they have access to culturally relevant prenatal, birthing, and postnatal care.

SUPPORT IS THE NEW SUPERPOWER

While the Shades of Motherhood Network is a young organization, it is already making a meaningful impact on Black maternal mental health in Eastern Washington.

> SOMN has developed several initiatives to strengthen the doula workforce, including providing training and business support.

> The organization is working to bridge the gap between community and systems, encouraging collaboration between the two.

> SOMN is also active in advocacy work, lobbying for the Federal Momnibus bill and educating the community about leveraging Medicaid for doula services.

Doulas are Key to Addressing the Black Maternal Mental Health Crisis

Black mothers face a number of obstacles when trying to access medical and mental health care, structural barriers that discourage them from seeking help and prevent them from accessing it.

40% of Black mothers and birthing people experience maternal mental health conditions.
Black mothers and birthing people are twice as likely as White mothers to experience mental health issues, but half as likely to receive treatment.
Nearly 60% percent of Black mothers do not receive any support or treatment for prenatal or postnatal mental health.

Doulas play an important role in supporting Black maternal mental prenatal through postpartum.

Community-based doulas spend an average of 76 hours with each client compared to traditional healthcare providers at 5.75 hours.
Doulas can provide mental health education and resources, connection to community and clinical mental health resources, and emotional support.