GPB IN THE COMMUNITY H

ealth and wellness continue to be a priority for all of us at GPB, including taking care of ourselves, our families and our community. This month, we are focusing specifically on maternal health through special programming and community partnerships.

From data collected even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC reported that mental health conditions were among the most frequent underlying causes of maternal death and that over 80% of these deaths were preventable. With the second highest rate of maternal mortality in the country, Georgia presents a microcosm of this growing healthcare crises nationwide. GPB is pleased to partner with the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at the Mercer University School of Medicine for an Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Training Workshop on April 15. Topics covered in the workshop will include postpartum depression, perinatal trauma, suicidal ideation, psychopharmacology and more. The workshop is free to attend and will also be available via livestream.

Also, on GPB TV airing Monday, April 10 at 10 p.m., don’t miss Birthing Justice, a documentary film centered on the expertise and lived experiences of Black women and their advocates. As cameras follow women through pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period, medical and social justice experts expose the challenges they face – including genetic predispositions, chronic stress, racial bias, culturally ignorant care and barriers to adequate healthcare.