The Healing Sacred Scars Foundation (HSS) was established in May 2020 to promote awareness, education and support for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to moms, families, healthcare professionals and the community. It is our mission to increase the number of women that have access to the culturally appropriate preconception, interconception, postpartum, and prenatal mental health services needed to improve mother and infant health outcomes. 

Since its inception, the foundation has served over 50 women and families utilizing mental health therapy, group therapy, classes, doula services and organized peer support as a means to combat maternal morbidity and mortality among women of color as a result of perinatal mental health issues. 

A mother’s mental wellbeing is equally as important as physical health during pregnancy. Mood disorders, like anxiety and depression, are common during and after pregnancy, and help is available. Black women experience a higher prevalence of maternal mental health conditions, particularly postpartum depression and anxiety, relative to the US population as a whole. In addition, maternal mental health issues among Black women are largely underreported, and symptoms often go unaddressed., Structural and social determinants are increasingly recognized as contributing factors to mental health; social and economic disasters exacerbate inequities in mental health outcomes and well-being and have implications for pregnant and postpartum populations.