THURSDAY, June 6, 2024

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PT
Workshop 2 of 2 in the "Foundations in Perinatal Mental Health & Navigating Culturally Concordant Care" Series (view series main page for full details)

Registration Has Closed as This Event is Now at Capacity
If you would like to sign up for the waitlist, please find instructions by clicking through the registration link.

Assessment for perinatal mental health conditions can be implemented in a number of ways, but its efficacy largely depends on how screening is conducted (i.e., language, tools, approach, consistency, etc.). Ensuring that screening and care are culturally concordant and timely will increase the likelihood that individuals experiencing perinatal mental health conditions are not only identified but also receive adequate support to feel better. This 2-hour interactive workshop will coach community and school-based mental health providers on how to utilize validated screening tools as conversation starters regarding mental and emotional well-being with expectant or postpartum individuals and their families. The workshop will also explore approaches to offering supportive resources and referral intervention, in addition to centering cultural humility and trauma-informed care with birthing families.

** Please note the following:

• Attendance of the first workshop on June 4th is a prerequisite to attending this workshop.
• Registration for this workshop is set to manual approval, as attendance of the June 4th workshop will be verified before providing the full sign-in information  

Learning Objectives

1. Identify and utilize the three most commonly utilized screening tools to identify signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the perinatal period;
2. Name six referral options for mitigating risk factors and increasing support for perinatal mental health conditions;
3. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the importance of engaging cultural humility and trauma-informed approaches to perinatal mental health care.

Notes

• This event has limited space and is expected to reach capacity; there will be a waitlist.
• Waitlist registrants will be added in the order that their registration is received.
• For those signing up as a group within the same organization, we ask that groups be limited to teams of two.
• Registrants will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.
• Once registered, if your availability changes and you’re unable to attend, please notify us as soon as possible so we can open a space for those on our waitlist.
• This event series will be recorded. Recording, materials and resources will be made available to all registrants at the conclusion of the program.
• Up to four Continuing Education Hours (CEH) will be available at no cost through verified participation in both workshops.

Audience

We invite community and general mental health professionals and teams of two providers within the same organization to participate. Examples include: social workers, psychiatrists, counselors, psychologists, clinicians, therapists, physicians and peer support specialists.

Facilitators

Anna King, PhD, LCSW, PMH-C

Dr. Anna King (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker, researcher, and certified perinatal mental health specialist. She has over 10 years of experience in community mental health and has specialized training and experience supporting individuals and families across the reproductive spectrum. As the full-time Director of Training for Maternal Mental Health NOW, Anna oversees the development of training programs, including conferences and partnerships with healthcare institutions, and facilitates curriculum development to educate care providers on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum.

Before joining the MMH-NOW team, Anna served as a clinical social worker with outpatient oncology services and inpatient hospital units, including the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), birthing center, and emergency department. She is a part-time psychotherapist with ARC Counseling and Wellness, offering anti-oppressive, body-oriented therapy as a student practitioner of Somatic Experiencing® and trained EMDR therapist. She earned her PhD in Integral and Transpersonal Psychology after conducting qualitative research on the intersection of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) trait and embodied social justice.

Karen Balumbu-Bennett, LCSW, PPSC, PMH-C

Karen Balumbu-Bennett (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker, holds a pupil personnel services credential, and is a perinatal mental health specialist practicing psychotherapy in the greater Los Angeles area. She has experience providing therapy in community mental health settings, emergency outreach teams, and within secondary schools.

In recent years, Karen has become dedicated to supporting people who are trying to conceive and those of the perinatal population. Karen specializes in supporting individuals struggling with perinatal trauma, loss, and fertility challenges and, in September of 2022, released her first book, which she categorizes as a ‘memoire meets guided journal’ titled, My Baby Journey – A Guided Journal to Support You Through the Peaks and Valleys of Trying to Conceive.

She takes a client-centered approach and truly enjoys helping people live fuller lives. Karen is an advocate of self-care and is deliberate about participating in activities that bring her joy. She lives by the motto “balance over everything,” which is a reminder that when aspects of life are in the correct proportion, overall wellness is more achievable.