Last week we had the great pleasure and privilege to meet with Minister Carolyn Bennett and MP Tim Louis to discuss the crisis and inequity of funding and support for Perinatal Mental Health. Grassroots non-profits like Together are often not considered for funding at the Federal level and conversations like this one, matter IMMENSELY.
We spoke candidly about how grassroots organizations like Together are key to understanding the needs of the communities in which we work. Furthermore, we addressed how peer support work is a must have (not a nice to have) to ensure support for racialized parents, newcomer parents, parents with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ families. These parent groups need more dedicated supports as they are at higher risk of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders just for being who they are.
While creating national standards and educating health professionals to better understand perinatal mental illness are good building blocks, peer support is the foundation for those blocks.
We will continue advocate for the support of unseen parental experiences and to push forward to ensure that peer support work is seen as key to Perinatal Mental Health. If you’d like to support the work of Together, consider supporting our upcoming Climb.
Our colleagues Olivia Scobie, Christine Cunningham, Fadhilah Balogun, and Sophie Zivku were rallying alongside us in this important conversation. Together, we will increase support systems, educate health care providers, and build a village so that no parent is left behind.
Photos by Only1AndyWright Photography