15 Hours / 15 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on an Introduction to Mental Health for Mothers and Babies is presented by Alinne Barrera, PhD.

This program introduces participants to maternal mental health and common psychological disorders and symptoms experienced during the perinatal period (i.e., pregnancy and postpartum) with an emphasis on depression and anxiety. 

This program introduces the topic, describes screening tools to identify and track symptoms, and presents evidence for prevention and treatment interventions. The final part of the program focuses specifically on the Mothers and Babies Course (MB), a prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) intervention that was recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force for at-risk birthing persons.

This portion of the program describes the background and theoretical principles, structure, and content of the MB for participants interested in implementing the intervention in their communities.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe common maternal mental health disorders and symptom presentations
  • 2 Describe common symptoms presentations for perinatal depression
  • 3 Describe common symptom presentations for perinatal anxiety
  • 4 Describe screening measures that can be used to assess depression and anxiety
  • 5 Describe factors that impact disparities in maternal mental healthcare
  • 6 Describe the research on one evidence-based prevention intervention for perinatal depression and anxiety
  • 7 Describe the research on one evidence-based treatment option for perinatal depression and anxiety
  • 8 Describe the theoretical principles and adaptations of the Mother and Babies program
  • 9 Describe how to implement the Mothers and Babies Course in diverse communities and settings
  • 10 Describe the evidence for the Mothers and Babies program as a prevention intervention

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for clinicians and allied health professionals who support individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period, with a focus on understanding and addressing maternal mental health concerns such as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

    • Social Worker
    • Psychologist
    • Counselor
    • Nurse
    • Midwife
    • Mental Health Professional
    • Allied Health Professional

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for entry-level professionals. This training is designed for beginner-level licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals seeking foundational knowledge in maternal mental health and perinatal psychological disorders.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to the topic of maternal mental health, perinatal depression, and anxiety; have limited experience with screening tools and evidence-based interventions; and are interested in learning about the Mothers and Babies Course for potential implementation in their communities.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians and allied health professionals who complete this training typically practice in environments that provide care and support to individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These settings are often multidisciplinary, collaborative, and focused on both physical and mental health.

    • Hospital maternity wards or obstetric units
    • Outpatient perinatal mental health clinics
    • Community health centers serving pregnant and postpartum individuals
    • Private practices specializing in maternal or family mental health
    • Home visiting programs for new parents
    • Public health departments with maternal-child health services
    • Birth centers or midwifery practices
    • Integrated primary care settings with behavioral health services
Presented By

Alinne Barrera, PhD

Alinne Barrera, PhD is a California licensed clinical psychologist. She is an expert clinician and researcher whose scholarly work focuses on depression prevention, intervention adaptations, and the use of technology to disseminate perinatal mental health resources and interventions. Dr. Barrera is an internationally known expert trainer and consultant on the implementation of the Mothers and Babies Course (MB) which was recognized by the US Preventive Services Task Force as an evidence-based prevention intervention for high-risk perinatal persons. She created and empirically tested the first digital versions of the MB, the Mothers and Babies Online Course (www.eMB.health) and the BabyText Program (SMS version). 

Dr. Barrera previously served as an Executive Board Member and Clinical Advisor at the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and on the Clinical Advisory Board to digital platform companies (EmmaWell, Canopie). Most recently, she served as Chief of the Adult Psychosocial Interventions Research Program in the Division of Services and Intervention Research at the National Institute of Mental Health, where she managed a portfolio of extramural grants and provided technical assistance for clinical trials focused on developing, adapting, and implementing evidence-based treatments in real-world settings. 

Alinne Barrera, PhD joined the PAU faculty in 2009. She is a Full Professor and the Director of the PhD Clinical Psychology Program. 


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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Introduction to Maternal Mental Health
    Overview of common psychological disorders during the perinatal period (pregnancy and postpartum)
    Focus on depression and anxiety

  • Screening and Tracking Symptoms
    Introduction to screening tools for identifying mental health symptoms
    Methods for tracking symptoms throughout the perinatal period

  • Prevention and Treatment Interventions
    Evidence-based interventions for prevention and treatment of perinatal mental health issues
    Emphasis on addressing depression and anxiety

  • Mothers and Babies (MB) Course
    Overview of the MB course as a prevention intervention for postpartum depression (PPD)
    Background and theoretical principles of the MB course
    Structure and content of the MB course

  • Implementing the MB Course in Communities
    Guidelines for community-based implementation
    Considerations for promoting maternal mental health

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.