Mental Health Resources for Health Care Providers 

Mental health services for growing families are not very common in maternity and children’s hospitals nationwide. Yet, mental health conditions are named as the most frequent underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.

We are pleased to be counted as a national leader, among other large academic centers, in beginning to move mental health care forward for people building families. While we are ahead of the curve, we are still learning, growing, and improving as we go along.

In the spirit of resource and information sharing, we welcome you to explore our program offerings and use them to enhance your own program’s care. Below is a list of resources on a variety of mental health topics related to fertility, pregnancy, NICU care, and postpartum support for providers—both our own Stanford-based resources and nationally respected organizations.

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health NICU resources

These mental health resources developed by our NICU mental health team may help you provide mental health services to your NICU families:

Treatment of Psychological Distress in Parents of Premature Infants

This book, edited by Richard J. Shaw, MD—a member of our care team at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health—and Sarah Horwitz, PhD, includes contributions from a dozen leaders in the field on various mental health topics, including PTSD in parents and vulnerable child syndrome.

PROMOMS for Preemies: Prevention of Postpartum Traumatic Stress in Parents with Premature Babies

This nationally renowned treatment manual, published by the American Psychiatric Association, was created by Richard J. Shaw, MD—a member of our care team—and Sarah Horwitz, PhD, at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health to help prevent PTSD in parents with premature babies (NICU trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy). The intervention was found in a randomized study to result in significant decreases in symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression both immediately following the intervention and at a six-month follow-up appointment.

  • The intervention has subsequently been implemented in several NICUs nationally, and the full treatment manual with accompanying handouts is available for open use.
  • The intervention can also be adapted for fathers and parents of nonpremature but medically fragile infants.
  • Those who are interested in learning more about the intervention and how to implement the program in their own NICUs should contact Richard Shaw, MD.

Coping tool kit for couples and single parents with a prenatal diagnosis

We are currently piloting a five-session intervention called the Couples Coping Intervention Toolkit. This approach is recommended for couples and single parents who are dealing with the stress of receiving a prenatal fetal diagnosis. If you are interested in this tool kit, contact Richard Shaw, MD, or Elizabeth Loi, PhD, at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.

iRainbow developmental care protocol

iRainbow is a novel guide developed by Melissa Scala, MD, one of our neonatologists, for helping parents actively parent in the NICU. iRainbow helps parents and staff learn activities that are most health promoting for infants at different degrees of maturity or illness. It is one of a few protocols like it in the nation, and it allows more real-time flexibility than most, so it is receiving national attention.

iRainbow has been found to significantly increase collaboration among health care providers, increase the total amount of developmental care that babies receive, and empower parents to care for their child.

About iRainbow:

  • iRainbow is based on a six-level color-coded acuity scale, like a rainbow.
  • Babies can move up and down the rainbow, depending on their current health. Some stay in one stage for weeks; others move in a single day. As a baby matures, iRainbow offers a list of activities that parents can explore with their babies and that aid in their parent-child bonding.

In order to remove barriers to resources, Stanford Children’s is offering an iRainbow video and starter kit to any interested NICU provider who connects with us for guided implementation. Contact Melissa Scala, MD.

Other NICU resources

Carousel Care is a national campaign that provides education, increases awareness, and engages those impacted by the NICU. A multidisciplinary team of experts, including neonatologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians, child life specialists, and social workers—involving specialists from Stanford Children’s—along with NICU parents provided yearlong input into developing provider resources. Webinars and presentations are available on a variety of topics, including understanding the scope of mental health challenges in the NICU, interrupted bonding, psychosocial screenings, and several more.