Mental Health is New York City’s Leading Cause of Pregnancy-Associated Death
Rigorous Year-Long Program Will Train Students to Holistically Support and Treat New and Expecting Mothers Through their Pregnancy Journeys
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Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson today announced a new Advanced Certificate in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) to prepare healthcare, mental health, early intervention, and early educational professionals to support pregnant mothers and birthing parents experiencing mental distress. The program is the first of its kind in New York State.
Borough President Reynoso and Brooklyn College partnered to establish the program and designed the curriculum in collaboration with Borough President Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force. Brooklyn College is piloting two PMH courses this spring and will host its first full cohort in Fall 2025.
A rigorous, year-long program that includes 120 in-person clinical hours, Brooklyn College’s PMH program will address racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to high-quality, comprehensive and preventative care. Designed with working professionals in mind, it features a flexible and innovative synchronous online format, allowing students to learn while continuing their careers. The multi-layered coursework has been meticulously crafted by a team of experts from Brooklyn College’s Early Childhood Education/Art Education Department, along with its Departments of Psychology, and Health and Nutrition Science, in collaboration with Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force.
“Mental health is the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in New York City right now. That’s unacceptable and absolutely something we can and should be solving for,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Brooklyn College’s Perinatal Mental Health program will be a key piece of the puzzle, and I am so grateful for their partnership in this fight to make Brooklyn the safest borough in the city to have a baby. I can’t wait for students to begin this incredible program and apply their knowledge to caring for our borough’s new and expecting parents.”
“As one of the Borough’s longstanding anchor institutions, we are honored to partner with President Antonio Reynoso and his Maternal Health Task Force in this vital mission, and we deeply appreciate his steadfast support of the PMH program,” Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson said. “We are thrilled to develop this innovative curriculum, which seamlessly combines academic excellence with tangible, real-world impact. This initiative is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing compassionate, community-driven education and training that truly makes a difference.”
“As New York City seeks solutions to address the maternal mortality crisis, it is imperative we equip professionals with the most up to date and innovative tools to use in the field when supporting pregnant mothers and birthing parents experiencing mental distress. As a physician and Chair of the Maternal Health Task Force, supporting development of a first of its kind program in the State provides the opportunity for New York City to be a leader in the fight to reduce maternal mortality and set a standard for culturally competent, high quality care in the maternal health space,” said Dr. Wendy Wilcox, Co-Chair of Borough President Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force and Chief Women’s Health Officer of New York City Health + Hospitals Office of Medical and Professional Affairs.
“Mental health is a critical public health issue that must be prioritized. As someone born to a mother who faced mental health challenges throughout her life, during and after her pregnancy, I truly understand the importance of programs like the Advanced Certificate in Perinatal Mental Health. It is vital for students to learn about the social determinants of health and the appropriate applications of care through a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and person-centered approach. This perspective helps students grasp the unique needs of birthing people and mothers as it fosters a sense of safety, respect, and validation within the community, ultimately encouraging individuals to seek the care they need,” said Christina Sparrock, Member of Borough President Reynoso’s Maternal Health Task Force and Chair of Reynoso’s Maternal Mental Health Subcommittee.
Over the past two decades, Black women in New York City were on average eight times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts. This partnership builds on Borough President Reynoso’s longstanding commitment to improving maternal health outcomes in the borough. In his first year in office, he allocated the entirety of his FY2023 capital funding – a total of $45 million – to Brooklyn’s three public hospitals for maternal health improvements. This marked the first time a Borough President has ever allocated an entire fiscal year’s capital funding to one cause, and within one city organization.
In August 2024, Reynoso announced a $50,000 ‘Community Baby Shower Fund’ to provide matching funds of up to $5,000 to Brooklyn nonprofits hosting community baby showers in neighborhoods with high maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Learn more about the Borough President’s maternal health agenda at brooklynbp.nyc.gov/maternal-health-agenda/
Focusing on the education of future maternal healthcare workers, the Borough President hopes to work with partners including Brooklyn College towards a Brooklyn in which new and expecting mothers have access to the culturally competent, high-quality care they need readily available in their own neighborhoods. Responding to stark maternal health inequity in New York City, the program’s curriculum centers an understanding of the social determinants of maternal health outcomes.
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