{"id":745327,"date":"2026-08-21T17:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T17:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/745327\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T17:28:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T17:28:12","slug":"clancy-trial-highlights-gaps-in-postpartum-mental-health-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/745327\/","title":{"rendered":"Clancy trial highlights gaps in postpartum mental health care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lindsay Clancy, apparently suffering from a rare psychiatric disorder called postpartum psychosis, killed her three children. Clancy\u2019s trial, which will determine whether she should be held criminally responsible, is raising questions about the quality of medical care she received. A civil lawsuit<\/a> filed by her husband seeks to hold a psychiatrist, nurse, and two health care systems accountable.<\/p>\n

Clancy\u2019s tragedy is drawing attention because of its horrific \u2014 and extremely rare \u2014 outcome. But new parents are struggling to navigate more common postpartum mental health care daily. <\/p>\n

A report<\/a> released in June by the National Partnership for Women & Families, based on a survey of 3,800 women\u2019s childbearing experiences, found that 60 percent of women with symptoms of anxiety or depression immediately before, during, or after pregnancy were not treated with counseling or medication.<\/p>\n

Eugene Declercq, a Boston University professor who studies maternal and childbirth policy, said the barriers to obtaining treatment can range from not taking the problem seriously to not being able to find a provider while navigating life with a newborn. \u201cWe so strongly prioritize babies, but sometimes mothers get lost in the shuffle,\u201d Declercq said.<\/p>\n

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Clancy\u2019s trial provides an opportunity to consider how, as a state, we can improve access to and quality of care for people with postpartum mental illness. That could involve enhancing communication between health care providers, better integrating mental and physical health care, and expanding the pool of mental health providers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard as a provider to see folks individually get called out [in the Clancy case] when it\u2019s really about a system that is onerous to navigate,\u201d said Leena Mittal, a reproductive psychiatrist in private practice.<\/p>\n

When not treated appropriately, mental illness can be fatal. According to a June report<\/a> by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were 153 pregnancy-associated deaths of mothers in Massachusetts between 2019 and 2023, and in 42 percent, the underlying cause was a mental health condition, a category that includes substance use disorders. (These deaths could include suicides, overdoses, or an exacerbated medical condition, like if drug use worsened preeclampsia.) <\/p>\n

One theme that emerged from trial testimony was Clancy receiving care from different providers, who prescribed medications but did not communicate<\/a> with each other. The Department of Public Health report<\/a> suggested that a lack of communication is a systemic problem. A contributing factor to 22 percent of deaths reviewed by the report was a lack of continuity of care. Providers lacked access to a patient\u2019s full medical record or didn\u2019t adequately communicate. For example, an emergency department clinician didn\u2019t share reports with a patient\u2019s primary care doctor.<\/p>\n

Mittal said mental health systems are \u201cvery siloed, and individuals who are trying to seek care are challenged to figure out how to navigate between disconnected systems.\u201d Mental health records are protected by strong patient privacy laws, and health systems aren\u2019t set up to easily communicate with each other if, for example, an obstetrician refers a patient to a psychiatrist in another health system. <\/p>\n

Often, the easiest way for a patient to access mental health care is if it\u2019s integrated into their medical care: an obstetrician refers a woman to a psychiatrist in the same medical system who takes her insurance. But even when that\u2019s not possible, medical systems or insurers can employ navigators, advocates, or social workers to help patients make appointments, find providers, and navigate differences of opinion. Community health workers and postpartum doulas can keep an eye on postpartum women and refer them to care. The Department of Public Health report identified a particular need to help the most at-risk women \u2014 ensuring a homeless shelter resident has transportation to medical appointments, or someone with substance use disorder gets support around traumatic events, like custody hearings.<\/p>\n

The challenge is ensuring that programs and professionals are readily available to all new parents, which takes money. <\/p>\n

The Department of Public Health, for example, oversees a home-visit program<\/a> to support parents with substance use disorder. But Cristina Alonso, director of the Pregnancy, Infancy, and Early Childhood Division in the Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition, told the editorial board that the program, while effective, is only available in seven locations and is restricted to people who self-identify as using opioids. Expanding it would take approximately $400,000 per new location.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the Legislature passed a maternal health bill<\/a> in 2024 expanding statewide a program<\/a> where a nurse visits a newborn\u2019s home once to assess the needs of the caregiver and baby and offer referrals. But Alonso said lawmakers never funded the expansion, which would cost around $5 million annually.<\/p>\n

The biggest need may be for more mental health clinicians \u2014 whether by expanding training<\/a> opportunities or ensuring clinicians are adequately reimbursed. A Massachusetts Health Care and Human Services Workforce Survey<\/a> of outpatient mental health and substance use clinics found around 15 percent of clinician positions were vacant, with clinics reporting as major barriers to hiring a shortage of eligible applicants and an inability to offer competitive salaries.<\/p>\n

If, as a society, we value the health of our children, we must put equal value on ensuring that every mother can get the care she needs to keep not only her baby, but also herself, healthy. <\/p>\n

Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us @GlobeOpinion<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n