Incarcerated pregnant and postpartum women are more likely to experience mental health difficulties as they often have high rates of trauma and victimization, chronic health conditions, low social support, and previous mental health conditions. Enhanced psychosocial care can reduce maternal distress and mental health symptoms before and after birth and support smoother reentry. This session discusses the New Jersey Commission on Women?s Reentry?s template of care to address the growing needs of incarcerated mothers.

Educational Objectives

• Discuss the barriers to care that incarcerated mothers face during the perinatal period
• Describe the impact of enhancing maternal mental health resources
• Review current initiatives and future implications for improving outcomes for incarcerated mothers

Level: Intermediate