ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON ADVANCING COLLABORATION BETWEEN 2SLGBTQ+ FAMILIES AND PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH
Hosted by the the Women’s Health Research Cluster, in collaboration with the Pacific PostPartum Support Society.
In February 2020, the Women’s Health Research Cluster co-hosted two workshops with the Pacific Post Partum Support Society! We aimed was to bring together 2SLGBTQ+ parents, researchers, midwives, doulas, mental health service providers, and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, raise awareness, and find points of collaboration to address the perinatal mental health needs of 2SLGBTQ+ families. The workshop and roundtable would not have been possible without the financial support from the UBC Community Engagement Partnership Recognition Fund (PRF).
Workshop 1: Saturday, February 8, 2020
Workshop: Early Parenthood Support for 2SLGBTQ+ Parents
Workshop 2: Saturday, February 29, 2020
Roundtable Discussion on Advancing Collaboration between 2SLGBTQ+ Families and Perinatal Mental Health
The Early Parenthood Support Workshop for 2SLGBTQ+ Parents was held at Kiwassa Neighbourhood House in Vancouver on February 8, 2020. The two-hour event was attended by 10 Trans and Queer parents who have had or who are currently experiencing perinatal mental health challenges. The workshop was run on a peer support model by support group facilitators from the Pacific Post Partum Support Society. During our time together we: explored connections between Queer and Trans storytelling and perinatal mental health, wellness, and healing; discussed the multidimensional aspects of postpartum anxiety and depression; developed a list of requests/needs/resources to be identified at the Roundtable Discussion on Advancing Collaboration between 2SLGBTQ+ Families and Perinatal Mental Health. In addition to this, participants made connections, provided peer support for each other and decided to stay connected through FaceBook as a way to further the work we had done together.
The Roundtable Discussion on Advancing Collaboration between 2SLGBTQ+ Families and Perinatal Mental Health was also held at the Kiwassa Neighbourhood House on February 29, 2020. Thirty participants attended the half-day event. It included students and researchers from UBC, private and community therapists, staff from Pacific Post-Partum Support Society and groups including Doula Services Association, Vancouver Coastal Health Public Health Nurses, TransCare BC, Eventide Doula, and Breathing Space Counselling.
The roundtable began with five presenters who shared their work and lived experiences. The goal was to bring together 2SLGBTQ+ parents, researchers, midwives, doulas, mental health service providers, and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, raise awareness, and find points of collaboration to address the perinatal mental health needs of 2SLGBTQ+ families. Topics discussed included: resources and support for 2SLGBTQ+ parents, language and other barriers to assessing care, 2SLGBTQ+ safety in research, and education and best practices guide for service and healthcare providers. At the end of the discussions, participants expressed the need for future similar events shared their suggestions for the next steps.
Lessons learned included:
- Limited community resources for 2SLGBTQ+ parents
- There are very few community resources for 2SLGBTQ+ parents. There are no community resources that are specifically developed for 2SLGBTQ+ parents who are experiencing perinatal mental health challenges and yet there is a significant need. This need includes postpartum peer support groups, a resource list of culturally competent and inclusive mental health providers, systemic inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+ families in existing perinatal mental health care.
- 2SLGBTQ+ perinatal mental health research
- There is very little research that identifies the specific needs of 2SLGBTQ+ perinatal mental health.
- Funding
- Limited funding for research and community support services is a barrier to developing resources for 2SLGBTQ+ perinatal mental health.
- Need for continuity and impact
- There is significant desire, energy, and motivation to build community, academic, and institutional resources for 2SLGBTQ+ perinatal mental health.