Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s Cultural Competence Committee
As we recognize Black Maternal Health Week, the Alliance’s Cultural Competence Committee stands in solidarity with the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State Office of Mental Health and partners across the state in acknowledging the deep and persistent inequities that impact Black birthing individuals and families. This week is both a moment of recognition and a call to action.
We know that disparities in maternal and mental health outcomes are not accidental, they are the result of longstanding systemic inequities that continue to shape access to support, quality of services, and overall health outcomes. Black women are disproportionately impacted by gaps in perinatal and behavioral health services, and far too often encounter systems that fail to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and respectful services.
The Alliance’s Cultural Competence Committee remains committed to advancing policies and investments that ensure Black women and birthing people receive equitable, high-quality mental health services before, during, and after pregnancy. This includes expanding access to community-based, peer-led, and culturally grounded supports; strengthening the perinatal workforce; and ensuring that Medicaid and other public systems adequately fund and sustain these services.
We applaud efforts highlighted in this announcement, including the expansion of perinatal mental health resources and trainings, and emphasize the importance of continued collaboration with communities most impacted. Equity must be embedded at every level of the system, from policy design to service delivery. Black Maternal Health Week reminds us that achieving equity requires sustained commitment. The Alliance will continue to advocate for a system where every parent is treated with dignity, every voice is heard, and every family has the support they need to thrive.
The ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State Office of Mental Health recognizes Black Maternal Health Week and the urgent need to address disparities impacting Black birthing individuals and families. We acknowledge the role of systemic inequities in shaping parental and mental health outcomes and reaffirm our commitment to advancing equitable, culturally responsive care across ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State.
OMH is proud to support initiatives that strengthen perinatal mental health services, including ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State’s , which provides a roadmap to address challenges affecting a significant portion of expecting and postpartum individuals. We continue to promote access to training and resources such as and its upcoming being held on May 8th, 2026, from 9 a.m – 4 p.m. This offering is available at no cost to professionals who support pregnant and postpartum individuals in ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State.
Resources
We also recognize the importance of expanding access to community-based support and strengthening systems that center dignity, trust, and whole person care. OMH remains committed to providing Black expecting parents and their families with the mental health resources and support they need.
As we uplift Black Maternal Health Week, we encourage providers, partners, and community members to engage with the following available resources:
- : ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State has family support programs for pregnant and parenting families, provided at no cost to the family.
- : Offering home-based services to support expectant families and new parents with the changes and needs that often come with the birth of a child.
- : ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State Medicaid (FFS) covers doula services for pregnant and postpartum members, providing up to 8 prenatal/postpartum visits and continuous labor support.
- Recognizing and Renaming in Obstetrics: How Do We Take Better Care with Language?:Â This editorial offers a way forward for the use of language that is inclusive of women, transgender (trans) and other gender minority people in reproductive health.
Join our Perinatal Mental Health listserv (PerinatalMentalHealth@omh.ny.gov) to stay informed, connected, and engaged in advancing maternal mental health across ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State.
How to Subscribe:
- Use this  to let us know you’re interested.
Why Sign Up?
- Stay informed: Get all New York State perinatal mental health updates from OMH.
- Easy Communication: Send messages to OMH regarding perinatal mental health.
Who Should Sign Up?
- ALL stakeholders – pregnant or postpartum individuals, family members, clinical and non-clinical providers, researchers, health systems/institutions, policymakers, payers/insurers, advocacy groups, community organizations, etc. – are encouraged to subscribe.
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
44 Holland Avenue, Albany NY 12229 –
518-473-4548 – OfficeDiversityInclusion@omh.ny.gov