DESCRIPTION
Black maternal bereavement, or the distinctive sense of grief and loss of Black mothers, not only refers to the intense experience of maternal suffering from the loss of a child or complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum but also reflects social, emotional, and psychological losses within Black communities. Cultural beliefs and societal expectations influence the expression of grief in Black mothers and the ways in which others respond to their losses. Social injustices and systemic discrimination as well as racial inequalities in healthcare exacerbate the negative impacts of grief on the mental and physical health of Black mothers. Awareness and acknowledgment of these factors are essential to supporting Black mothers and promoting healing and empowerment within Black communities.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PRESENTER
Delane Casiano, MD, is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. With specialization in cultural psychiatry and women’s mental health, She has worked with ethnically diverse populations in a multitude of health care settings. Dr. Casiano earned her bachelor’s degree from Brown University and medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Program for Minority Research Training in Psychiatry (PMRTP) at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Center for Psychotherapy Research (CPR). Clinical organizations herald Dr. Casiano’s work as well. She collaborated with the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness (PCWBW) to create the Maternal Wellness Initiative (MWI), a combined program of psychiatry and obstetrics/gynecology services for women. She also supervised multidisciplinary teams as associate medical director for the Princeton House Behavioral Health Women’s Program. Dr. Casiano is a Founding Member and current President of Global Health Psychiatry, LLC (GHP), an organization founded by ten African American psychiatrists committed to empowering individuals and their families through mental health education and community action.
HOST
Annelle Primm MD, MPH is the Senior Medical Director of the Steve Fund, an organization focused on the mental health of young people of color. She is also a member of the Black Psychiatrists of America Council of Elders.
This webinar is part of the Health Equity Webinar Series, an ongoing collaboration between the Central East MHTTC and the Black Psychiatrists of America to increase education and awareness surrounding mental health in the Black community.
