Trigger warning* – infanticide Four days too late. We at the CPMHC are reeling over the tragedy in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Just last week, a bill was introduced by state representatives to facilitate screening for postpartum depression in pediatrician’s offices. Just four days later, authorities discovered three children strangled in Duxbury — only one survived. Their… Read more

Today is Maternal Health Awareness Day, a day started by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 2017. Here is an article written by CPMHC Co-Executive Director, Patricia Tomasi about the Canadian perspective on maternal mortality and the need for action.

CPMHC is currently recruiting for the positions of: Submission Deadlines: January 27th, 2023 ** See our Volunteer With Us page for job descriptions and Board Member application

January 14th, 2023 — Today marks the one year anniversary of Flora Babakhani’s tragic death by suicide due to undetected, undiagnosed, and untreated postpartum psychosis. Though we have begun to make progress and have captured the attention of the Prime Minister himself, there’s still so much work to do — and we need your help.… Read more

Provincial elections are underway in Quebec – voting will take place today, October 3rd. The CPMHC is working in partnership with the Quebec Alliance on Perinatal Mental Health to ensure perinatal mental health is a priority for each party. The only party that has promised improved perinatal mental health services is the Parti Québécois. In… Read more

Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health ends today. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and donated! With your generous support, together we raised over $75,000! Your donations will be helping 22 charities across Canada deliver timely access to perinatal mental health services as well as provide scholarships for health care practitioners to enroll… Read more

The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative vehemently denounces the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Decades of research demonstrates the harm to women’s mental health if abortions are outlawed or made more difficult to obtain. The inability to obtain an abortion increases the risk for domestic abuse among those who are forced… Read more

Today, June 20/2022, is International Fathers’ Mental Health Day (IFMHD), an annual global event first launched in 2016 which draws attention to issues unique to men as they transition to fatherhood—their strengths, difficulties, and needs. The CPMHC and many other organizations are enthusiastic supporters of IFMHD as a means to take a whole-family, father-inclusive approach… Read more

The CPMHC reached out to the major political parties in Ontario in early 2022, and had several meetings with party officials knowing that an election would soon be called. We wanted to make sure perinatal mental health was a priority for each party in Ontario. The CPMHC provided the parties with its election platform document… Read more

Thanks to everyone who has helped raise over $74,000 for Flora’s Walk thus far! Just a reminder that the fundraising link will be active until June 30th, 2022. There is one more team walk happening in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories in June! Donation Link: https://floras-walk-for-perinatal-mental-health.raisely.com ** Donations accepted until June 30th, 2022 ** Scroll… Read more

CPMHC Co-founders and Co-Executive Directors, Patricia Tomasi and Jaime Charlebois met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his office in the West Block on Parliament Hill on World Maternal Mental Health Day, May 4th, 2022. Patricia & Jaime met the Prime Minister following the inaugural Flora’s Walk in Ottawa and in 20 cities across Canada… Read more

Thank you to the Hill Times for featuring our Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health event that will be happening in Ottawa where Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Carolyn Bennett will be speaking along with MP Pam Damoff, MP Don Davies, MP Heather McPherson and Ottawa Public Health Ottawa Medical Officer, Dr. Vera Etches.… Read more

Thank you to the Ottawa Senators for supporting Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health! Come out to our walk on May 4th at Lansdowne Park and bid on one or all these amazing items! ** Signed jersey by the team** Adam Gaudette signed pucks, stick, & hat** Matt Murray signed jersey** Thomas Chabot signed stick**… Read more

We can now confirm 20 Flora’s Walks happening on or near May 4th, World Maternal Mental Health Day – in EVERY province and territory right across Canada! Join a team here: https://floras-walk-for-perinatal-mental-health.raisely.com/ Here is a list of the wonderful charities being supported through Flora’s Walk: Pacific Post Partum Support Society, BCMothercraft, Ottawa, ONSoldiers’ Memorial Hospital… Read more

CPMHC Executive Directors Patricia Tomasi & Jaime Charlebois were thrilled to be invited by Minister of Mental Health & Addictions, Carolyn Bennett and Dr. Simone Vigod to join clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience at a groundbreaking roundtable March 9th where we discussed ideas on how to ensure timely access to perinatal mental health… Read more

Introducing our new Board of Directors We are so excited at what the future holds for CPMHC with these phenomenal members at the helm. Read about each one here: https://cpmhc.ca/board-of-directors/ As Executive Directors, Patricia & Jaime are excited to work with the new board and build on the accomplishments of CPMHC since we first began… Read more

Read more about how to join Flora’s Walk here: https://cpmhc.ca/join-floras-walk/ Donate and Sign up here: https://floras-walk-for-perinatal-mental-health.raisely.com Flora’s Babakhani’s lifelong dream was to be a mother. At 44 years old, after years of fertility treatments, Flora, a single mom by choice of Toronto, Ontario, finally and happily became pregnant.  Her sister, Mimi Dendias told us however,… Read more

Big day today for CPMHC as we started off with a live interview on CTV Calgary followed by a meeting with the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and MP Pam Damoff!

Yes we are on a mission to get a National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy but we’re also on a mission to make sure everyone knows about it! We’re spreading the word on social media but also need traditional media to help us raise awareness. This week we’ve achieved just that with interviews in two major… Read more

The CPMHC issued the following press release and call to action today. Click and send a letter to your MP here: https://cpmhc.ca/take-action/

Back before CPMHC, future co-founders Jaime and Patricia were two Barrie moms on a mission just trying to get their grocery shopping done. But they kept bumping into each other and chatting about the dismal state of perinatal mental health care in Canada and how it was about time Canada needed a national perinatal mental… Read more

Board of Directors – Volunteer Positions The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative is accepting applications for its first board of directors. Founded in 2019 and federally incorporated as a non-profit in 2021, the CPMHC’s mission is to improve perinatal mental health care in Canada through advocacy, research, education and awareness. The CPMHC is actively lobbying the… Read more

*** The movie is now available on Amazon Prime *** Have you heard of this new movie – A Mouthful of Air staring Amanda Seyfried? It hit theatres very recently however in Canada it’s currently only playing in 3 theatres – Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The movie might be coming to Amazon Prime soon so… Read more

October 28, 2021 Letter to the Editor of CTV News London and the Toronto Star Re: “Walking may be the answer for women struggling with postpartum depression”(CTV Headline) Allow us to set the record straight. Walking is NOT the answer to postpartum depression as the original headline to this article stated.  The original CTV News… Read more

Congratulations to Dr. Simone Vigod, recipient of the 2021 Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for mental health research, awarded by The Royal Ottawa! We have worked closely with Dr. Vigod from day one and she also graciously wrote a chapter for our perinatal mental health anthology, “You Are Not Alone”. Dr. Vigod’s research is focusing on the unique… Read more

On this World Mental Health Day, we are beyond grateful for everyone who contributed their stories for our #1 Bestseller perinatal mental health anthology and for everyone who continues to work hard to improve perinatal mental health care in Canada! Thank you as always for your support. You are not alone. We are stronger together.… Read more

Download the PDF article here: “We just keep doing what we’ve been doing. We just keep fighting, we keep having meetings with MPs, we keep doing social media campaigns, we keep working behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, just elevating the national consciousness and the national conversation around understanding the importance of perinatal… Read more

While the election results may seem like not much has changed since the 2019 federal election, that’s not the case when it comes to perinatal mental health. In 2019, the CPMHC asked all parties where they stood on developing a National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy. While we received a letter back from NDP leader Jagmeet… Read more

Thank you to everyone who attended our webinar training for All Candidates Meetings and thank you to those who were able to attend and send in a question on perinatal mental health. It’s so important that each political leader is aware of perinatal mental health and we will continue to run campaigns that create more… Read more

Now that most parties have unveiled their platforms, it’s time to examine how each one plans to address perinatal mental health if elected. We are delighted to see perinatal mental health referenced in some way in each of the released party platforms (Liberal, NDP, Conservative, Bloc Quebecois)! We want to thank each party for taking… Read more

You can bet CPMHC is doing its best to make sure the creation of a National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy makes it onto each political party’s platform for the upcoming federal election expected to be called this Sunday. Sadly, this means the Private Members’ Bill introduced in June to the House of Commons will die… Read more

CPMHC put out a call for therapists who could donate therapy sessions to families impacted by the Barrie, Ontario tornado. We will be adding to this list as more offers come in and posting updates on social media. Thank you to our CPMHC committee members in Barrie and beyond who have been helping on the… Read more

Today, MP Pam Damoff wrote and sent this incredible letter on our behalf to Health Minister Patty Hajdu supporting our asks as well as suggesting funding be set aside from the recent Budget for Perinatal Mental Health research, awareness, organizations, and holistic resources based on Indigenous principles including peer-to-peer supports and mentors from the community… Read more

On June 3rd, MP Don Davies introduced the Private Member’s Bill: THE NATIONAL PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY ACT in the House of Commons! The Bill was seconded by MP Heather McPherson who was the first MP to support our vision. Thank you to you both! Bill C-306 An Act respecting the development of a national… Read more

THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA and ALL PARTIES have UNANIMOUSLY AGREED to SUPPORT DEVELOPING A NATIONAL PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY THE DETAILS We have been informed that all parties agreed to support a national strategy during the Motion to declare World Maternal Mental Health Day May 5th presented by MP Heather McPherson. Unanimous consent motions, if… Read more

May 5th WORLD MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH DAY ANNOUNCEMENT ➡️ Registration is now open for our virtual symposium! We are thrilled to announce our theme for World Maternal Mental Health Day 2021: #TimeForAction 💙💚 It’s also the title of our report which we will be making public during our live, virtual symposium on May 5th where… Read more

In honour of Black history month, we spoke with CPMHC National Committee member Dr. Anita Ewan to help us shed light on the perinatal mental health of Black parents. This is a demographic that has been historically underserved. It is our mission to ensure that equitable perinatal health services and support are accessible for all.… Read more

Earlier this month, CPMHC National Committee member Dr. Lianne Tomfohr presented to the Canadian Parliamentary Health Research Caucus on her research into pregnancy during the pandemic https://www.pregnancyduringthepandemic.com and her involvement with the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative 💙💚Way to go Lianne!! You can view the presentation here. Lianne begins at 9:00: https://youtu.be/ektvHh9oPEA Lianne and the… Read more

Update: While we have all the stories we need for our Perinatal Mental Health Anthology, we are working on Volume 2 and would love to keep receiving submissions for consideration in Fall 2021! Please send to canpmhc@gmail.com. We are also continuing our evergreen #ThisIsMyStory campaign so please feel free to submit your story for consideration… Read more

Aidez-nous à convaincre le gouvernement fédéral que nous avons besoin d’une stratégie en santé mentale périnatale – MAINTENANT. Répondez à notre « Sondage (par le 15 décembre, 2020) pour un changement *** https://bit.ly/perinatalhcp *** si vous êtes médecin de famille, obstétricienne-gynécologue, sage-femme, accompagnante à la naissance, travailleuse sociale, psychiatre, psychologue, infirmière. Tout professionnel de la… Read more

COVID-19: Why Maternal Mental Health Matters #NOWMORETHANEVER Wednesday May 6th, 2020 was World Maternal Mental Health Day (WMMHD) Since 2016, the first Wednesday of May has been proclaimed World Maternal Mental Health Day by advocacy organizations around the globe. Instead of awareness walks to mark the day like we have been doing, due to COVID-19… Read more

We have been compiling a list of mental health resources to help during Covid-19 / coronavirus. Please check here for the latest updates: https://cpmhc.ca/resources-during-covid-19/ 👉 From the World Health Organization: All pregnant women, including those with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections, have the right to high quality care before, during and after childbirth. This includes… Read more