Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative

In 2006, legislators enacted a law which mandates screening of new mothers for postpartum depression symptoms using the EPDS (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) prior to discharge from any hospital or birthing facility and during the postpartum period. This law requires that healthcare providers educate women, fathers and other family members about postpartum depression.

The Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC), a non-profit agency, is the state-licensed maternal child health consortium for southern New Jersey, is composed of health care programs and services that enhance the system of care, strengthen communities, and provide tools to families to lead healthier lives. Specifically, SNJPC offers programs that support maternal and child health care in New Jersey’s seven southern-most counties (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem), which have about 19,000 births annually.

Following enactment of the mandatory postpartum depression law in New Jersey, SNJPC submitted a proposal to the New Jersey Department of Health which outlined the creation of a comprehensive support service program to identify women at risk for postpartum depression. Funding was awarded and Postpartum Wellness Initiative (PWI-SJ), a model program was created.

The primary goal of this model program is to increase the identification of women at risk for a perinatal mood disorder. A web-based EPDS screening process was developed to assist obstetricians, pediatricians and family medicine healthcare providers in ambulatory settings, comply with the mandatory screening laws. Women have the option of self-referral through the confidential telephone “warmline”, as well. The PWI-SJ care management team uses a stepped-care model of intervention that includes telephone assessment, triage, referral and follow up for several weeks. There are 2 options for follow up services: traditional clinician-assisted intervention with a dedicated professional, and a low intensity, non-therapeutic telephone support through MomMoodBooster (MMB) with a personal coach, a PWI team member.