Beginning September 3, Temple University Hospital – Main Campus will relocate all childbirth services to a new location. This change coincides with the launch of the Perinatal Collaborative Behavioral Healthcare (PCBH) program at Temple Women & Families, supported by a $700,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation. The initiative aims to address maternal mental health issues during pregnancy and postpartum.
Postpartum depression affects up to 20% of new parents and can have long-term impacts on families if untreated. The PCBH program intends to bridge gaps in maternal mental health by providing integrated behavioral health services for pregnant and postpartum patients.
“The best thing for a baby is a healthy parent,” says Jessica Kovach, MD, Chair and Chief of Service of the Department Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Lewis Katz School of Medicine. “In Philadelphia, the leading cause of maternal mortality in the baby’s first year is substance use and mental health.”
The multidisciplinary PCBH team will include bilingual licensed clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and peer support specialists. Patients will be screened for depression and perinatal mood disorders, with their behavioral health monitored throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Gail M. Herrine, MD, FACOG, IBCLC, FABM emphasizes integrating these services into OB care as essential. “Our patients already trust their providers,” she says. Having PCBH team members in the same practice helps them feel comfortable throughout their journey.
For two years now, Temple Health has provided perinatal psychiatric services at TUH-Episcopal Campus. The PCBH program expands these services across psychiatry, obstetrics, and pediatric care.
“We were drawn to the program’s two-generation model,” says Kellie Brown from William Penn Foundation’s Children and Families Program. Embedding mental healthcare into existing OB services shows commitment to accessibility.
Community engagement remains central to PCBH’s design. Focus groups and feedback will guide its evolution to meet local families’ needs effectively.
