LAMMHA ECHO

LAMMHA ECHO Perinatal Case Conference Series

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The ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model uses a virtual educational lecture series and patient case discussion to improve provider preparedness to treat patients and improve patient outcomes. The LAMMHA ECHO Perinatal Case Conference Series will use the ECHO model to improve providers' capacity to care for their patients' mental health, aimed to improve patient identification and decrease suicide rates.

2025 series (second Tuesday of the month at 12:00pm PST)

Topics to be covered (click blue bar to see more information)

#1: February 11, 2025 | Addressing Perinatal Mental Health with Collaborative Care

Presenter: Zari Hedayat, PhD, LMFT

Zari Hedayat, PhD, LMFT has a doctorate in psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist with a passion for working with pregnant and postpartum women. She is a certified infant mental health specialist from the Early Childhood Foundation of Cedar Sinai Medical Center. She has also trained in EMDR and Neurofeedback, short term interventions to treat trauma, which has led her to pro bono work with Veterans and to volunteer as a translator, on four pediatric surgical missions to Haiti with CHLA. Zari is also an adjunct faculty at Antioch University Los Angeles. One of her favorite classes to teach is Cross Cultural Infant Observation, as she is deeply interested in the intersection of culture and motherhood.

Learning Objectives

Define perinatal mental health including an introduction to the range of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
Explain the importance of screening for perinatal mental health in primary care settings to support family wellness

#2: March 11, 2025 | Perinatal Loss

Presenter, Elyse Springer, LMFT

Elyse is a founding board member for Postpartum Support International’s California chapter and currently serves as the CA-PSI Policy and Advocacy Chair. Elyse is an emeritus Governing Council member for Maternal Mental Health Now after serving an eight year term, in addition to ongoing training faculty for the organization. Elyse served as a Board Member of national maternal mental health policy and advocacy group 2020 Mom Project from 2014-2019, and was a 2020 Mom Clinical Advisory member through 2021. In addition, Elyse is training faculty and Emeritus Board Member for national perinatal loss organization Return to Zero:HOPE and training faculty for paternal perinatal non-profit Love, Dad. Elyse is an EMDR certified therapist and EMDRIA-approved consultant, certified in IPT through the IPT Institute, an IPT supervisor-in-training and certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) through PSI.

Learning Objectives

Identify disparities in care for birthing people and their impact on perinatal mental health
Integrate two culturally sensitive approaches to perinatal mental health care

#3: April 8, 2025 | Addressing Perinatal Mental Health During Obstetric and Well Baby Visits

Presenter: Jolene Collins, MD, MACM

Jolene Collins, MD, MACM is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She received her medical degree from University of California, San Francisco and completed her pediatric training at Children’s Hospital Oakland before going on to receive a Master’s in Academic Medicine from the University of Southern California. Her area of focus is in medical education and the intersection with clinical operations.

Learning Objectives

Identify 3 ways caregiver mental health impacts infant and child development
Identify the recommended timeline for screening protocol during the perinatal period
Identify 3 screening tools commonly integrated within obstetric and well baby visits

#4: May 13, 2025 | Psychopharmacology Approaches During Pregnancy and Lactation

Presenter: Sinmi Bamgbose MD

Sinmi Bamgbose, MD (she/her) is a reproductive psychiatrist committed to expanding access to timely and cost-effective mental health care. Dr. Bamgbose obtained her medical degree at Morehouse School of Medicine and completed residency training in adult psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco with a distinction in Women’s Mental Health. She is the founder of Itunu Psychiatry, a private psychiatric practice dedicated to the mental health and well-being of women and birthing people.

Learning Objectives

Demonstrate an understanding of the role of psychopharmacology in perinatal mental health
Identify at least two medications and their safety profile during pregnancy and lactation

#5 June 10, 2025 | Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders

Presenter: Emily Dossett MD

Emily C. Dossett, MD, MTS, is a reproductive psychiatrist and the founder and director of the Reproductive Mental Health Program at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Dossett is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and of Obstetrics-Gynecology at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, where she teaches medical students, residents, and fellows about reproductive mental health. She has served Los Angeles County as the first Associate Medical Director of Women’s Health and Reproductive Psychiatry for the Department of Mental Health, as well as the psychiatric lead for the MAMAs Neighborhood Program.

Learning Objectives

Identify three distinct perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs)
Name five domains of potential risk with psychiatric medication use in pregnancy
Explain which substance use disorders have evidence-based treatments

#6: July 8, 2025 | Risk Management in Perinatal Mental Health

Presenter: Gabrielle Kaufman, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT, NCC, PMH-C

Gabrielle Kaufman, MA,LPCC,BC-DMT,NCC,PMH-C (she/her/hers), is a dance/movement therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor with over 30 years experience in the healing profession. For over ten years, she served as clinical director of Maternal Mental Health NOW. Prior to this, she served as director of the New Moms Connect Program of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles providing services to new parents, particularly those suffering from symptoms of postpartum depression. Gabrielle is faculty for PSI/2020 Mom, the UCLArts and Healing Institute and Drexel University. Gabrielle serves on the advisory boards for Hasidah, an organization helping families struggling with fertility and Love, Dad, a non-profit supporting fatherhood. She has served as Los Angeles coordinator for Postpartum Support International and is in private practice in Los Angeles serving clients in English and Spanish languages.

Learning Objectives

Name two screening tools for perinatal suicide risk
Understand their roles in addressing crisis situations

#7: August 12, 2025 | Child Abuse Reporting & Perinatal Mental Health

Presenter: Michelle Hartzog, LCSW

Michelle Hartzog is an action-oriented Licensed Clincial Social Worker with expertise in Public Child Welfare and School Social Work. Michelle works for one of the largest child welfare organizations in the United States and has a private practice where while specializing in women's mental health. She is a certified mindfulness and meditation guide and is actively working towards certification in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International.

Learning Objectives

Explain the steps to make and file a child abuse report as a mandated reporter
Discuss the role that medical staff plays in the process of child abuse reporting during the perinatal period
Describe the impact of child welfare involvement on both parent and infant mental health

#8: September 9, 2025 | Birth Trauma, NICU & Perinatal Mental Health

Presenter: Helena Vissing, PsyD, SEP, PMH-C

Helena Vissing, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist certified in Perinatal Mental Health and Associate Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. As a scholar of maternal studies and somatic psychology, she has published on the topics of the psychology of mothering and its somatic aspects. She is the author of “Somatic Maternal Healing. Psychodynamic and Somatic Trauma Treatment for Perinatal Mental Health”. She is also host on the podcast channel New Books in Psychoanalysis of the New Books Network and on the editorial board of the International Body Psychotherapy Journal.

Learning Objectives

List three risk factors for birth trauma
Identify two ways to respond to a patient with birth trauma or other mental health concern due to having an infant in the NICU

#9: October 14, 2025 | Centering Equity in Perinatal Mental Healthcare

Presenter: Sayida Pepreh-Wilson, PsyD

Dr. Sayida Peprah-Wilson is both a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Full Spectrum Doula, with over 15 years of experience in both fields. She specializes in multicultural psychology, trauma, suicide prevention and perinatal mental health, and has practiced in community-based, in-home, psychiatric hospital and prison settings. She has a multifaceted career as a psychologist, consultant, diversity educator and community doula program co-director with Frontline Doulas and Sankofa Birthworkers Collective of the Inland Empire. Dr. Sayida is the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Diversity Uplifts, Inc., whose mission is to improve the well-being of women, birthing people, children and families and increase cultural competence and humility among providers who serve them.

Learning Objectives

Identify perinatal mental health disorders following perinatal loss

#10: November 11, 2025 | Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health

Presenter: Kevin Gruenberg, PsyD

Kevin Gruenberg, PsyD, is the Executive Director and co-founder of Love, Dad: Support for Fathers and Families. His work advocates for family-child health through the inclusion of fathers in perinatal and early childhood services. Dr. Gruenberg co-developed and researched a home visitation program for fathers and their infants and is currently launching a system to screen and treat fathers with mental health challenges. He also provides consultation and training on fatherhood, paternal perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and building parent-child relationships. He serves on the Maternal Mental Health NOW's Governing Council.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify three symptoms that signal a father needs help
Participants will be able to identify how paternal perinatal mood and anxiety disorders impact families

What is the LAMMHA ECHO series?

The LAMMHA ECHO series is a 10-session CME-accredited* and CE-accreditedⱡ program for California providers who want to improve care for their perinatal patients' mental health. The series is presented by the LAMMHA project with support through the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF).

Ten monthly, 60-minute sessions for California providers who want to improve care for their perinatal patients' mental health
Didactic content on risk assessment and management of perinatal mental health
In-depth case presentation and group discussion facilitated by a multidisciplinary team
Sessions facilitated by a multidisciplinary team including University of Washington Medicine perinatal psychiatrists and family medicine physicians. No person involved in controlling the content has any relevant financial relationships to disclose.

The series will be held: February to November

Registration is open to all California perinatal providers
Choose this level if limited capacity to support implementation/QI work but interested in improving perinatal mental health 
Cohort 3: 2025
Limited to 100 attendees, all sessions begin at noon, second Tuesdays

See details above for next session

Register to attend one or all sessions in the LAMMHA ECHO series

Who should attend?

California providers who want to improve care for their perinatal patients' mental health
Learning Collaborative Providers (not limited to)

The series will provide access to:

UW and regional specialists in perinatal psychiatry and quality improvement methods
Evidence-based strategies to treat perinatal mental health conditions
Feedback and recommendations on clinical practice change to improve patient outcomes
LAMMHA website, recorded ECHO sessions, case recommendations, learning community discussion board, and resources for perinatal mental health care

* CME ACCREDITATION

The University of Washington School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Washington School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. (Each session is 1.0 credit)

Disclosure: The regular presenters and program planners of this case conference have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interest (s).

ⱡ CE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Each session meets criteria for 1 continuing education credit for mental health professionals. LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, LEPs, and psychologists qualify for APA sponsored CE credit through the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in the state of CA. Community Partners FBO Maternal Mental Health NOW is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Community Partners FBO Maternal Mental Health NOW maintains responsibility for this program and its content.