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State launches phone line and training to connect providers with perinatal psychiatrists; early data show hundreds served
Summary
DSS showcased the Access Mental Health and Substance Use for Moms program: a statewide, free provider consultation line staffed by perinatal psychiatrists, training webinars and toolkits, and outcomes through Dec. 2024 including 2,667 consultations and 344 patients receiving outreach and referrals.
Beth, the Access Mental Health presenter, described a statewide perinatal psychiatric consultation program that provides free, real‑time support to clinicians caring for pregnant and postpartum patients with mental‑health or substance‑use concerns.
She said providers can call a toll‑free line—(833) 978‑6667—to reach board‑certified psychiatrists with perinatal specialty training for diagnostic clarification, medication guidance, counseling recommendations, and resource/referral support. "There's 1 toll free number, (833) 978-6667. You call, and you'll get access to our psychiatry team from Yale in real time to talk through what your questions are," Beth said.
The program also offers a recorded webinar series and a provider toolkit with screening tools and treatment algorithms for initiating medications in the perinatal period. Beth said the program launched in June 2022 and, through December 2024, provided 2,667 consultations supporting 439 perinatal individuals; roughly half served were Medicaid members. Of the cases where providers requested outreach, 344 moms received resource‑and‑referral support that resulted in connections to services.
Beth emphasized the service is free to providers and patients, is statewide, operates Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and includes training resources posted online. She also read brief provider and patient comments praising the program as a "game changer."
