March 8th is International Women’s Day.

This year, the theme is ‘Give To Gain’.  Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it’s intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.

Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or time, contributing to women’s advancement helps create a more supportive and interconnected world.

This is an opportunity to take meaningful action to support moms’ mental health by backing organizations that drive policy change and expand access to care. Here are some suggestions.

Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance National Day of Action

One way to help is by joining the National Day of Action for Maternal Mental Health on March 10 which is organized by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA).

Each year, thousands of advocates across the U.S. contact their representatives to urge continued—and increased—federal funding for two vital programs:

• The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline — offering 24/7 voice and text support for moms and families.
• The Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Program — providing education, consultation, and resources for healthcare providers (also known as the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs).

Join the Day of Action and help ensure these programs continue to serve moms and families nationwide. To help get the word out, MMHLA provides online advocacy tools and a social media toolkit.

Support Policies Designed to Improve Maternal Mental Health

Another way to help is by supporting the work of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a national think tank that advances policies to close gaps in maternal mental health care and ensure moms are routinely screened and treated. Their work has helped shape federal legislation, inform state policy, and catalyze systems change so that more mothers can get timely, evidence-based care.

• Donate to their Advocacy or Suicide Prevention Funds to power state legislative work, model bills, and suicide prevention initiatives that aren’t covered by grants.
• Amplify their policy priorities by sharing their reports, infographics, and “Whole Mom” standards with your networks and tagging policymakers, health systems, and payors.
• Partner as a clinician or community leader by using their tools in your setting, joining their communities of practice, or collaborating on local policy and systems-change efforts.

Increase Awareness of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

You can also take action by engaging with Postpartum Support International (PSI), which promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of mental health conditions related to childbearing worldwide. PSI combines advocacy with direct support, offering a national helpline, online support groups, and a global network of coordinators.

There are many different ways to get involved. One of PSI’s biggest events is coming up.  The Climb is the largest event raising funds and awareness for the mental health of new families.