Brooklyn College, part of The City University of New York (CUNY), has received $800,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending in FY 2026 to advance its Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health Initiative, a comprehensive academic and community-based effort to address New York City’s maternal mental health crisis and expand access to culturally responsive care in under-resourced communities.
Championed by Senator Charles Schumer, this federal funding builds on support in FY 2024 from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, which launched the development of a perinatal mental health curriculum, strengthen partnerships with city health agencies, and support an annual education and advocacy summit in Brownsville.
“We deeply appreciate Senator Schumer for championing this funding,” said Michelle J. Anderson, President of Brooklyn College. “We are committed to translating knowledge into community action and ensuring that mental health is treated as an essential component of maternal care.”
Perinatal mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-associated deaths in New York City, disproportionately affecting Black and under-resourced communities. In Brooklyn and the Bronx, Black and Brown communities experience pregnancy-related mortality at rates approximately nine times higher than white communities, driven in large part by untreated mental health conditions rather than obstetric complications alone.
Despite the prevalence of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), which affect up to one in five new mothers, screening and treatment remain inconsistent, and the shortage of trained perinatal mental health providers is severe. Kings County currently has only 20 maternal mental health providers, far below what is needed to meet population demand.
An Integrated, Community-Centered Solution
Brooklyn College’s Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health Initiative addresses these gaps through a multitiered approach that combines academic training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and deep community engagement.
At the core of the initiative is the College’s planned Advanced Certificate in Perinatal Mental Health, a one-year, synchronous online, credit-bearing graduate program designed for professionals across perinatal and early childhood systems.
The program includes six graduate level courses, ongoing reflective supervision, and 120 hours of supervised perinatal mental health clinical training, with a focus on PMADs, substance use disorders, social determinants of health, and cultural humility. No comparable credit-bearing certificate program exists in the New York metropolitan area.
“Drawing on Brooklyn College’s longstanding expertise in early childhood education and early intervention, we recognized that mental health lies at the core of many challenges facing families and professionals alike,” said Brooklyn College Professor of Early Childhood Education/Art Education Jacqueline Shannon. “The need for a dedicated curriculum became increasingly clear—one that builds on the foundational PMH curriculum while addressing critical gaps in training. This program bridges rigorous academic preparation with real-world impact and reflects our commitment to a compassionate, community-centered approach to perinatal care, with a strong clinical focus on supporting maternal mental health across professions.”
With its integrated, community-anchored design, the initiative is poised to serve as a model for improving maternal mental health outcomes across New York State and nationally, demonstrating how higher education, public investment, and community partnership can drive lasting change.