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DENTON — Caregivers, community members, and human services coordinators gathered at the J.O.K. Walsh Visitor & Heritage Center in Crouse Park, Denton, on Monday, Aug. 11 for a free training on administering mental health first aid to pregnant or postpartum individuals. This seminar was part of a larger network of trainings put together “road-trip” style by the Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD). Other stops on the road trip are in Allegheny and Baltimore counties.
MHAMD is “a statewide nonprofit in Maryland that provides education, training and outreach on all things mental health,” explained Rony Ngamliya-Ndam, one of the event’s speakers. Another representative, Carolina Carbajal, said the goal of the training is to “raise awareness and education around maternal mental health…it's definitely one of the topics that is not emphasized or talked about as much.” The topics covered by the training included how to notice signs of a mental health crisis and intervene safely in various situations regarding pregnant or postpartum people.
Ngamliya-Ndam said they chose Caroline County to be on the list because “we were specifically looking for areas that you know are not reached usually, and so go into different counties where there is a higher need.” “We thought that this would be such an amazing opportunity to bring this awareness and education,” Carbajal added.
While most of the people they attract are healthcare providers, anyone is welcome to attend the road trip trainings. Ngamliya-Ndam explained this is because “regardless if you're a provider, a community member, or an advocate, at some point you will come across a new or expecting mom that needs support, or you'll come across someone that needs mental health first aid. So we open it up to everyone.”
Carbajal said she wants those facing struggles with their mental health to know “there is support, there is help, there is treatment, and that it’s okay to have these conversations.”
Ngamliya-Ndam asserted that “What new and expecting moms are experiencing is not in their head. There's so much evidence and science that confirms their experiences…there's such a need to break down that stigma that impacts new and expecting moms getting the support that they need.”
