Postpartum Support International-Georgia Chapter is the partnering organization for the following graduate report. The mission of Postpartum Support International of Georgia (PSI-GA) is to “promote awareness, education, prevention, and treatment of perinatal mental health issues affecting mothers, families, fathers, and support systems within the state of Georgia” (PSI-GA, 2021). It is located at 107 Gainesway Dr., Woodstock, GA 30189. The organization’s website can be found at https://psichapters.com/ga/.
The primary health issue addressed by PSI-GA is postpartum mental health disorders. This encompasses depression, anxiety, OCD, panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and sometimes psychosis (Rai et al., 2015). National literature has shown that barriers prevent access to healthcare services for mothers who experience depression (Martinez et al., 2016). Limited access to healthcare services presents a significant need for additional training of medical practitioners to screen for and identify depression among new mothers (Martinez et al., 2016).
Martinez et al. suggest utilizing a model to identify factors that inhibit access to treatment, focus on human resources within the public health system, and train nurses and practitioners to detect postpartum depression (PPD) during examinations. PSI-GA addresses immediate health-related needs and access to mental care and support for everyone, including those in smaller cities and rural counties within Georgia (PSI-GA, 2022). Accessibility would include access to a psychiatrist or counselor and medication prescribers familiar with prescribing to pregnant or lactating mothers. Lifestyle and social factors that affect the needs of those suffering from postpartum depression (PPD) are the priorities PSI-GA strives to address. The current service population and demographics for PSI-GA are families dealing with postpartum mental disorders in Georgia(PSI-GA, 2022). PSI-GA seeks to service mothers and new fathers, family members, or any support structure coping with perinatal mood disorders ranging from depression to anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (PSI-GA, 2022).
The internship aimed to create an evaluation plan that explores the Climb Out of the Darkness fundraiser and aids in identifying ways to increase participation and community engagement. I also made social media communications for PSI-GA to utilize on their social media platforms to help increase traction, outreach, and awareness. Five goals and corresponding objectives were created for the evaluation deliverable. The goals and purposes sought to increase participation and understanding and the monetary gain to fund scholarships for perinatal mental health training for providers across the state. Current literature research was extracted to create an evaluation plan consisting of process, outcome, and impact evaluation methods. The social media content created consists of twenty-four posts divided into groups of Motivational Mondays and Fun Fact Fridays with twelve posts per group. The deliverables, as mentioned above, were made in a 16-week timeframe of 250 hours.
After the conclusion of the graduate internship, several recommendations have developed. It is recommended that the organization acquire a centralized data collection tool to organize information collected from the events and use it to make necessary changes and modifications to the programs to increase participation and reach. A second recommendation would be to increase social media outreach with information for providers and families. This will increase traction across the media platforms and the organization's reach. With the new changes and the appointment of a new communications chair, the deliverable provided should give a great start to the department moving forward as they continue to build their social media presence post-COVID.