The lone pediatrician in the poorest and most rural region of Mississippi doesn’t feel like she has to do it all alone anymore.
She’s confident caring for babies. But the postpartum moms bringing their infants to her clinic? That takes a different expertise — now just a phone call away.
When a new mom is struggling with mental health or substance abuse, the rural pediatrician can call a specially trained clinician to consult with her on how to diagnose and treat the parent or connect them with nearby resources.
“Every time she calls, she tells us, ‘I don’t have anyone I can vet ideas with. It gives me so much comfort knowing you’re here when I need it,’” said Calandrea Taylor, a licensed professional counselor who is sometimes on the other end of the line.
Helping clinicians help moms
Taylor is also the program director for CHAMP for Moms at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), of which Children’s of Mississippi is a part. Launched in 2024, the initiative provides free, real-time mental health guidance to medical providers across the state so they can offer tailored support to people who are pregnant, have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, or are postpartum.
“Our main objective is to make sure moms are treated where they are so we can help the most people,” she said.
Taylor said this is essential not only to increase access to care due to the mental health workforce crisis, but also to reduce stigma.
“In the southern culture and some ethnicities, people are less likely to identify that some of their struggles are because of mental health, so too many people go untreated,” Taylor said. “But they will go to their primary care provider for pain and their OB for maintenance or take their baby in for routine visits, so we hope to eliminate the stigma by bringing mental health to them in places they’re already going to and with providers that already have a connection with the mom.”
Cost isn’t a barrier either. CHAMP for Moms is a free service for providers who need additional assistance with treating their patients in the medical home.
“There’s no catch. You don’t have to be an expert in everything,” licensed clinical social worker Gigi Holder tells clinicians. “Our goal is to help you help patients. Call as often as you need to.”
She directs the Child Access to Mental Health and Psychiatry (CHAMP) program, which has been supporting Mississippi providers in addressing kids’ mental health needs since 2018. CHAMP for Moms uses the same provider-to-provider consultation model that has proven to be successful, especially in rural areas that lack mental health specialists.
“Without those resources, treatment is delayed significantly,” said Holder, who also answers the phone when clinicians call regarding pregnant or new mothers. “That’s why it’s so important that providers know we are here for them so they can intervene right now — even when the mom is in the room with them. The earlier we can begin to treat people, the better outcomes we have for families and communities.”
CHAMP for Moms staff have educated more than 200 providers and visited 10 clinics across the state to walk clinicians through screening pregnant and postpartum mothers.
Relatable support for moms
The Mississippi program is one of 13 perinatal mental health access initiatives that received funding through a five-year HRSA grant ending in 2028.
But CHAMP for Moms has something the others don’t: a peer support specialist who works directly with expecting and new mothers referred to the program by their primary care and OB-GYN providers.
“She has experienced mental health and substance abuse challenges, so she gets it,” Taylor said. “That makes them more comfortable talking openly about their struggles. And she makes sure they feel prepared to advocate for themselves with their doctors.”
The specialist, who was trained in perinatal mental health after being hired, helps patients across the state get the referrals and support they need, whether it’s therapist appointments or placement in a substance abuse treatment program.
Expanding outreach
CHAMP for Moms has grown primarily through word of mouth among providers. But now they’re focusing outreach efforts to anyone who comes into contact with pregnant and new mothers, including lactation specialists, social workers, Child Protective Services employees, addiction specialists, and detention center staff.
The program is expanding beyond the call line to offer educational opportunities for providers and laypeople. This fall, CHAMP for Moms will host its second in-person event, where attendees can be trained and certified in perinatal mental health.
“The bigger the task force, the easier it will be for moms to find mental health services where they’re hard to come by and during a phase when they may need it most,” Taylor said.
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential, and 24/7 support for expecting and new mothers experiencing mental health challenges. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA.
