We are very happy to announce that we obtained a grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) for our project: “The Perinatal Mental Health Professional: Prevention at the Right Place and the Right Time”!

More than 1 in 5 women have maternal mental health (MMH) problems in the perinatal period. These problems frequently go unnoticed and untreated. This project aims to profoundly improve early detection, prevention, and treatment of MMH problems in pregnant and postpartum women, in order to prevent known negative effects of MMH problems on mother and child. Perinatal Mental Health Professionals (PMHP) will be introduced in standard perinatal care situations, to improve early detection of (risk factors for) MMH problems and offer the much-needed expertise and coordination of care for prevention and treatment. The focus is on prevention and health promotion in an integral perinatal care approach, to ensure optimal communication, easy access to specialized professional expertise, and the best opportunities for client mental health. The integration of PMHP’s in integral perinatal care will be a major step in providing every mother and child the right care at the right time.