DOH announces recipients of Perinatal Mental Health Access and Capacity Building grant

For immediate release: February 11, 2026   (26-022)

Contact: DOH Communications

OLYMPIA – When people have access to mental health support during pregnancy and after birth, families are healthier and lives are saved. To help make that support easier to access, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is awarding Perinatal Mental Health Access and Capacity Building grants to community organizations across the state.

The funding is provided through the Washington State Perinatal Collaborative and supports organizations that help perinatal women and other new parents access mental health care. Each organization is recognized for its crucial work with communities most affected by maternal health conditions, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. Grant recipients were also evaluated on their efforts to expand Medicaid access, strengthen provider workforce development, and improve care coordination to build sustainable support systems.

Each awardee will receive $30,000 a year for up to 3 years.

 “We know from the recent Maternal Mortality Review Panel Report that the majority of pregnancy-related deaths are behavioral health-related – and most are preventable,” said Lacy Fehrenbach, Chief of Prevention, Safety and Health, DOH. “By investing in trusted community partners, DOH is finding new ways to help families get the mental health support they need during pregnancy and after birth.”

Meet the recipients

Shades of Motherhood Network (SOMN)’s  mission is “to ensure every Black mother, mother of color, and mother of an infant of color in the U.S. has a high-quality, culturally relevant childbirth experience.” Grant funding will support SOMN in strengthening perinatal mental health systems for Black, Indigenous, and other families of color through advanced workforce training and integrated care coordination. As a newly approved Birth Doula Training Center, SOMN will empower doulas and peer support specialists with trauma-informed, culturally responsive skills while providing mentorship and pathways to sustainable careers.

Northwest Center supports disabled children and their families at all phases of life. The Center will use grant funding to help strengthen the skills of home and community-based providers in their Hospital-to-Home Systems Change program, which offers perinatal mental health support for families transitioning back into their homes after the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Northwest Center aims to expand access to care for these families, who are at higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health challenges, after a NICU stay.

Center for Indigenous Midwifery was founded by Rhonda Lee Grantham, an Indigenous Midwife and Herbalist from the Cowlitz Nation. The organization will use the funding to create Spanish-language training materials for better screening and treatment of Spanish-speaking immigrant women and new parents who are affected by perinatal mental health conditions.

First Five Fundamentals, through its Family Connects Pierce County program, will use the grant to provide support groups that offer education, health screenings for birthing parents and infants, and referrals to other services. This includes supporting Baby Lounge groups in Pierce County and hosting Group Peer Support meetings such as Caminemos Juntos and Melanin & Milk. 

Washington United Migrant supports pregnant and postpartum people in Pierce and Thurston Counties, where many migrant parents face barriers to accessing mental health support. The grant will help Washington United Migrant train more migrant community promotoras, creating a variety of Spanish language activities that improve care coordination and building bridges between families and local health systems.

Benton-Franklin Health Department (BFHD) will use the funding to prioritize Perinatal Mental Health Certification training for Spanish-speaking providers, while enhancing the skills of staff delivering counseling and referrals through the Nurse Family Partnership program. BFHD will also expand its Perinatal Peer Support Groups and evidence-based Fatherhood Classes, which focus on peer support, promoting healthy relationships, parenting skills, and wellbeing for both fathers and birthing parents. 

Grant recipients were selected by a 9-person review committee that included members of the Washington State Perinatal Collaborative’s Perinatal Mental Health Taskforce and birth workers with experience in perinatal mental health.  

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