Campus Hosts Training on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Postpartum Support International is offering a certificate training program May 17–18 on the Buffalo State campus designed to help health care professionals and others identify and treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Five visiting medical and mental health professionals will share evidence-based curriculum in “Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care” with an audience of psychiatrists, nurses, physicians, social workers, mental health providers, childbirth professionals, and educators. The training will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days in Bulger Communication Center North.

The program has been approved by the National Association of Social Workers for continuing education credit.

“This is the only nationally and internationally recognized evidence-based certificate of completion course for professionals providing care to those experiencing perinatal mood disorders,” said Kim, Zittel, associate professor and chair of the Social Work Department, who is helping host the event. She also serves as director of the Western New York Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Task Force, a partnership with the Postpartum Resource Center of New York’s Project 62.

“Members of the task force wanted to provide this training to area professionals in order to improve access to care for those experiencing perinatal mood disorders, which are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.”

The course faculty are Birdie Meyer, coordinator of the Perinatal Mood Disorders Program at Indiana University Health and the past-president of Postpartum Support International; Ann Dunnewold, a Dallas, Texas-based psychologist and author specializing in women’s issues; Carly Snyder, a New York City-based physician specializing in reproductive psychiatry; Sonia Murdock, a Postpartum Support International (PSI) New York State co-coordinator and executive director of the Postpartum Resource Center of New York; and Nancy Owen, a registered nurse and PNI New York State co-coordinator and perinatal educator at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Maternity and Bereavement.

By the end of the training, participants should be able to better identify, describe, and understand the different diagnosis of prenatal and postpartum depression, anxiety, panic disorder, among other afflictions. They also should be able to assess risk factors and identify treatment options.

“Our goal is to increase the number of certified providers in all eight counties of Western New York,” Zittel said. “The need for assistance is high, but the number of certified providers is low. We need to improve access to services for families in need.”

The cost for professionals to attend is $375; the deadline is May 10. Interested participants can find more information and register online.