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The Perinatal Mental Health Unit at Woman’s Hospital is being honored with a Community Impact Award for its work establishing mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women. The award is part of Business Report’s inaugural Excellence in Healthcare Awards.
The hospital opened the Perinatal Mental Health Unit, Louisiana’s first inpatient psychiatric unit dedicated exclusively to pregnant and postpartum women, in September 2024.
The unit was created in response to growing concerns about maternal mental health and the lack of appropriate inpatient options for women experiencing serious psychiatric conditions during pregnancy or after childbirth. The 10-bed unit combines psychiatric treatment with obstetric care, allowing patients to receive specialized services in one setting.
Since opening, the unit has served more than 400 families, with patients coming from 39 Louisiana parishes, 102 cities and seven states. Woman’s has also doubled the number of full-time psychiatrists on the unit since opening.
The recognition comes as Woman’s continues to develop its broader approach to perinatal mental health, including an outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic that provides continued care for mothers through medication management and counseling.
The program represents a significant shift in how women experiencing mental health challenges during pregnancy and early motherhood can receive care, bringing psychiatric and obstetric services together in a setting designed specifically for them.
Read the full story from the latest issue of Business Report.
