I’m a therapist who treats perinatal mood disorders for a living and I have personal experience with postpartum anxiety and PTSD. I share this from both a professional and personal perspective.

Our hearts are heavy in the wake of the recent tragedy in Byron, but we can’t simply grieve and move on. We must dedicate our time and resources to prevention. If we want to improve maternal mental health in Wyoming, here’s what must happen — at a minimum:

Medicaid expansion

Too many hospitals and clinics have closed. We are a health care desert, especially when it comes to OB-GYN care. Expanding Medicaid isn’t just about covering low-income individuals — it keeps hospital and clinic doors open for everyone, especially in rural communities.

Without Medicaid expansion, we will continue to lose essential health care services. If we are to truly be pro-life, that means funding quality health care for mothers so they can provide quality care for their babies.

We must all vote in the primaries

Freedom Caucus legislators dismiss mental health as something God alone can handle. To be blunt — God alone cannot treat any perinatal mood disorder. If God is real, then they gave us the knowledge, education, years of practice and wisdom to care for our neighbors — not to simply wish and pray for a miracle.

Sometimes there are miracles, thanks to the training of our health care providers who save lives. Our elected officials are not a miracle, especially when they put up barriers to individuals receiving care.

Not voting in primaries has allowed people into our legislature who have slashed health care and mental health funding while remaining willfully uninformed and uneducated on these topics. We must all vote in primaries and elect leaders who will support maternal mental health.

Insurance coverage

Therapy is expensive and individuals suffering from perinatal mood disorders — whether during pregnancy or postpartum — often need intensive treatment. Insurance and Medicaid must cover mental health care for at least the first year postpartum.

This is a critical period when untreated disorders can have devastating consequences for both parents and children.

OB/GYNs and pediatricians

We must invest in our doctors and clinics, ensuring they have the proper training and screening tools, particularly for postpartum care. Pediatricians, who see parents and infants regularly in the early months, should be screening for perinatal mood disorders and making immediate referrals when necessary.

We need to integrate maternal mental health into routine pediatric and obstetric care. This investment is well worth it — moms and babies deserve access to quality medical and mental health care locally.

Community outreach

Local health departments need funding for community outreach programs that support new parents. Education about perinatal mood disorders — what to watch for, where to seek help — can save lives. Community engagement, education and support make all the difference in early intervention.

Long-term solutions

We need a fundamental shift in how we treat parents. This includes:

• Invest in more OB-GYNs, pediatricians, and family practice providers to ensure comprehensive maternal and family care. Adequate staffing ensures appropriate time for assessments and referrals to take place.

• Invest in our providers sufficiently so that they stay in our state and help our communities thrive.

• Paid parental leave to reduce stress on families.

• Affordable, high-quality health insurance.

• High-quality, affordable child care.

• Workplace flexibility and family-friendly policies.

Wyoming, we can do better. We should do better. But it starts with you — the voter. We must all vote in primaries. We must pay attention to who we elect. Right now, we are failing our moms. It’s time to change that.

Alex Petrino is a licensed professional counselor in private practice. She has been a counselor for over a decade and is licensed in three states. She consistently advocates for legislation and policies that promote mental health, suicide prevention and rural health care. She is the President of the Wyoming Counseling Association.

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