California leaders are convening to address a perinatal mental health crisis that affects hundreds of thousands of mothers. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom hosted a roundtable conversation at El Camino Health with statewide leaders to strengthen maternal mental health services and perinatal wellness, which encompasses care during and up to two years after childbirth. The conversation was facilitated by the California Perinatal Wellness Alliance.
Scope of the Crisis
Perinatal mental health affects 1 in 3 California women during pregnancy and in the first two years after birth. The majority of these women do not receive treatment, according to alliance leaders. Cassie Manjikian, Founding Director of California Perinatal Wellness Alliance, stated that “perinatal mental health is a preventable public health crisis—and too many families continue to suffer in silence or fall through the cracks.”
California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos noted that “when a mother is struggling, it signals an opportunity to strengthen coordination across care systems and community support.” Ramos emphasized that “perinatal mental health is foundational to the well-being of families, communities, and future generations.”
Limited Resources
El Camino Health is 1 of only 5 perinatal inpatient psychiatric units in the entire country, underscoring California’s commitment to maternal health care yet revealing the limited resources available for mothers nationwide. Dan Woods, CEO of El Camino Health, stated that “perinatal mental health is one of the most urgent and solvable challenges in health care today” and noted the importance of “bringing leaders together to close those gaps and build a more connected, effective system of care across California.”
With only 1,400 perinatal mental health-certified professionals across the state, California is addressing workforce shortages. The Song-Brown midwifery program received $1M in 2022 to expand the midwifery workforce and address racial disparities in maternal and fetal health outcomes, with the goal of creating new Certified Nurse Midwifery and Licensed Midwifery training programs that focus on training a diverse workforce in underserved communities.
Recent Legislative Achievements
California has achieved the lowest maternal mortality rate in the country as a result of Governor Newsom’s partnership with the Legislature to improve access to perinatal mental health services. Governor Newsom signed AB 2319 in 2024, expanding and strengthening implicit bias training for healthcare providers. In March 2024, the California Department of Health Care Services launched the Birthing Care Pathway, a comprehensive policy and care model roadmap to cover the journey of pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members from conception through 12 months postpartum.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/04/29/first-partner-jennifer-siebel-newsom-and-statewide-leaders-convene-to-address-perinatal-mental-health-crisis/