Seleni Institute Launches Black Perinatal Mental Health Training

NEW YORK, January 23, 2023 /3BL Media/ - Seleni Institute announces its new CE-accredited Black Perinatal Mental Health training designed to help social workers, counselors, psychologists, midwives, lactation consultants and other health and mental health professionals better support the mental health care and birthing outcomes of Black birthing individuals and families. The launch on Maternal Health Awareness Day underscores the stark reality that mental health issues are the leading cause of preventable maternal deaths, according to a 2022 report by the CDC, with Black women three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The training is now available on-demand on Seleni’s training site training.seleni.org.

Seleni created the new training in partnership with Dr. Marissa Long, MAOB, PsyD, founder of ARC Counseling & Wellness with a specialty in reproductive psychology and Black perinatal mental health, who leads the 6-credit course. Students will come away with expanded knowledge of symptom presentation, physiology and epigenetics, treatment considerations and screening tools, as well as a greater understanding of the ancestral and historical experiences of Black birthing people, care disparities, and the impact of stigma and one’s own self-awareness in advocating for and supporting clients.

“The statistics around Black maternal mental health are quite staggering, with upwards of 40% of Black mothers suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders – nearly twice the rate that PMADs occur among all pregnancies in the US,” said Nitzia Logothetis, MSc, MA, LMHC, founder and clinical director of Seleni. “With the expertise of Dr. Long and the support of kate spade new york, our goal is to equip as many health professionals as possible with tools, insights and awareness that are crucial to optimizing treatment for their Black birthing patients.”

“Those who serve the amazing Black birthing community know how important culturally sensitive, respectful and mindful care is to effectively supporting Black birthing individuals and their families,” said Dr. Long. “When we process the science – the symptoms, screening tools and treatment techniques – through the lens of history and the present day barriers to adequate treatment for Black birthing individuals, only then can we truly feel equipped to provide our clients with care that meets their needs while also honoring their experiences.”

Thanks to the generous support of kate spade new york, which funded the creation of the training, Seleni is also offering 200 scholarships to professionals working with low-income Black birthing individuals and families. Social and economic inequities, along with racism and discrimination, contribute to greater mental health challenges and negative maternal health outcomes among low-income Black birthing individuals. Students or professionals working as solo practitioners or with a clinic, hospital or other providers in low-income communities of color are eligible to apply for a scholarship.

With similarly shared missions, kate spade new york and Seleni have partnered since 2021. Kate spade new york is committed to supporting the empowerment and mental health of women and girls through social impact partnerships. Through these partnerships the brand set out to provide 100,000 women and girls with direct access to empowerment and mental health resources by 2025.

“We are proud to partner with Seleni, a leader in maternal mental health, to support this vital new training on Black perinatal mental health,” said Taryn Bird, senior director of social impact at kate spade new york. “We believe strongly in one of the foundational tenets of Seleni’s treatment approach, which is that supporting a parent’s mental health has positive impacts for generations. This training speaks directly to the heart of our mission at kate spade new york, which is to empower women and girls around the world through mental health.”

The Black Perinatal Mental Health training is accredited by the New York State Education Department's Board for Social Work and Board of Psychology and NBCC. Additional national accreditations will be announced soon. Seleni’s trainings are open to professionals worldwide. The Black Perinatal Mental Health training is focused on the perinatal experience of the Black birthing community in the United States in particular. However, health professionals in other parts of the world may find the training beneficial, as there are many aspects of the Black birthing experience that are shared across the diaspora.

Individuals can register for the virtual on-demand training on Seleni’s training website at training.seleni.org. Group and student discounts are available. Scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis through April 2023. Learn more at seleni.org/bpmh.

About Seleni Institute

Seleni is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 on a simple yet powerful insight: Change a mother’s life, change a child’s life. As a recognized leader in maternal and reproductive mental health care, Seleni is dedicated to destigmatizing maternal mental health and supporting the emotional health of individuals and families during the family-building years. By removing many barriers to therapy through in-person and virtual treatment for individuals and couples and its CE-accredited training and scholarships for health professionals, Seleni helps scale access to treatment and expand practitioner knowledge worldwide. Visit seleni.org and explore the organization’s professional training curriculum at training.seleni.org.

About kate spade new york

Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for color, wit, optimism, and femininity. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand synonymous with joy, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view, and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands.