By: Jackie Jankewicz
One in seven women can develop postpartum depression (PPD). And, for low-income women the rate can be much higher. But a program funded by a 2021 grant from Impact 100 Jersey Coast is helping to change that by delivering PPD preventative care to women in need – many of them the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault
Called The ROSES Program (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns), it has been shown in randomized control trials to reduce cases of PPD by half among low-income women. Now, thanks to an Impact grant of $107,000, the Community Affairs and Resource Center (CARC) is deploying this method in the real world. In its second year, the program has surpassed grant goals, reaching 189 women.
“Impact 100 granted us at CARC the opportunity of providing preventive and direct services to many pregnant women vulnerable of developing postpartum depression. We are forever grateful for their support in helping women empower other women.”
~ Paola Marin-Rivera, CARC program director ~
Education and Social Support
ROSES teaches pregnant women to recognize the signs of depression and how to reduce stress by seeking social support, finding a network of friends and family members, and knowing where to go for help.
The program includes bilingual education sessions using a university-developed curriculum and nurse home visits. It has been instrumental in identifying mothers who need additional support and counseling services.
Community Partners Increase Impact
“It has been so impressive to see how the CARC staff has been able to amplify the impact of our grant. They consistently figure out how to help the women identified by the ROSES program get the additional support they need – whether it is helping domestic violence and sexual assault victims navigate the legal system, or working with other community partners to provide diapers and other necessities to these new mothers.” said Betsy Newman, Impact Grantee Liaison.
