KCC | Impact

Real Need, Real Impact, Real Change

1 in 5 women in Kansas are impacted by perinatal mental health conditions

Perinatal behavioral health disorders, including Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) and substance use disorders, are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth and are a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-associated deaths. Suicide and overdose are the leading causes of death for women in the first year following pregnancy. Between 2016-2022, more than one quarter of pregnancy-associated deaths in Kansas were caused by homicide, suicide, mental health conditions, or unintentional poisoning/overdose. Perinatal behavioral health disorders may present during pregnancy or the first year postpartum, and they affect the health and well-being of the whole family.

Despite their prevalence and impact, these disorders often go undiagnosed and untreated. Data from the 2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey showed that 1 in 5 birthing individuals in Kansas experienced depression in pregnancy and 1 in 7 experienced symptoms of postpartum depression. The same survey showed that 16% of those who felt they needed treatment did not get it, with the majority noting that it seemed too difficult or overwhelming.

KCC recognizes the need for improved systems of care that better support the behavioral health needs of all perinatal individuals in Kansas. KCC training and technical assistance services have been implemented in clinics across the state and led to a significant increase in screening rates for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders among enrolled professionals. Access to care coordination support and consultation with experts in perinatal psychiatry ensures that Kansas providers have ongoing support to respond quickly and confidently to their patients’ behavioral health needs. Particularly in areas of the state with few resources and many barriers to accessing care, KCC services are essential to strengthen the knowledge and skills of existing care professionals and improve their ability to serve perinatal individuals through quick access to free consultation, care coordination support, and resources.

Stories of Impact and Transformation

Making a Difference in Perinatal Behavioral Health

Rural OB/GYN Physician

"KCC has been instrumental in helping [our clinic] organize and implement our perinatal mental health screening programs, along with helping us to establish a concrete action plan for those times when mothers need assistance. I truly believe that our implementation of screening and caring for mothers’ mental health will help families in our area thrive in ways that wouldn’t have been possible without these resources."

Nurse Practitioner and Midwife

“Our clinic is so grateful to be part of a process of data collection to show that screening during pregnancy and early postpartum is important and we hope our actions will be able to influence insurers decisions to pay for earlier and more frequent screenings.”

Rural Family Medicine Physician

"As a provider, especially a provider in a rural setting, it’s important for us to know what resources we have. We don’t always have the option to just send somebody down the road to a psychiatrist or to a therapist that often would involve hours of travel that just aren’t feasible. So, I was very excited when I learned that in Kansas, we have the Provider Consultation Line for Perinatal Health to fill this gap."